Psychodynamic Theory

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Psychodynamic Theory

• Sigmund Freud
• -Humans have little to no capacity for free
  will
• -Human behavior is driven by a desire for
  pleasure
• and is governed by 2 instincts
• I. 2 Basic Human Instincts
• 1. Eros (Libido)-
• a. Love instinct
• -Everybody wants to love and be
  loved
• 2. Thantos-
• a. Death instinct
• -Everybody wants to be
  remembered after they die

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II. Personality Structure

• -Our personalities develop as we move through
  life
• 1. Id-
• a. Born with it
• b. Pleasure seeking
• -It wants things NOW
• think about a babys behavior
• c. Its unconscious
• -We dont even think about it

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II. Personality Structure continued

• 2. Ego-
• a. Develops as a young child (infancy)
• b. Serves to reduce anxiety
• c. Balance of Id and reality
• -REALITY PRINCIPLE
• -Your Ego attempts to find a safe
• realistic way of meeting the
  primal
• needs of your Id
• -You cant have everything you want
  now,
• but you can deal with that
• d. Its conscious and unconscious
• -Were beginning to think about
  and
• understand consequences

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II. Personality Structure continued

• 2. Superego-
• a. Develops in late childhood through
  adulthood
• b. Obeys social standards
• -We understand consequences
• and we tend to want to do the
• right thing
• d. Its fully conscious
• -We can, and often do, think about
• whats right and wrong

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III. Potential Cause of Personal Conflict

• 1. Conflict between Id, Ego and Superego caused
  by one
• or more of the following
• a. Never had basic needs met an a child.
• b. Never learned right from wrong.
• c. False perception of reality.
• d. Undeveloped social skills or coping
  skills.
• e. Undeveloped sense of others in relation
  to oneself.
• f. etc
• Any of these cause high levels of stress as
  people move
• through life. Society inflicts consequences
  on people whether
• they like it or not