Question

Psychology of Personality and Freud Theory

Part 1: Engage in a discussion of the following.   Please be thorough and generous with your thoughts.

To understand the Freudian/Psychodynamic notion of ‘defensiveness’, you have to understand the nature of anxiety as seen from this perspective. So, according to the psychodynamic view, where does anxiety come from? What are the three sources, or types, of anxiety?

When anxiety is present, what is the basic idea regarding “ego-defense”? What does the ego do to defend from these threats?

Are these conscious processes? Please discuss – if so, why? If not, why not?

What basic characteristics do all defense mechanisms share?

Would the ability to distort reality (to fool yourself) be a generally adaptive or maladaptive human attribute (or both). Do the benefits outweigh the costs? Justify your answer.

Part 2: Discuss the following specific defense mechanisms. For each, give a basic definition (in your own words). Then, provide a plausible real-life example of each and reflect on what you find interesting or provocative.

Repression

Regression

Denial

Projection

Displacement

Reaction Formation

Sublimation

Part 3: Freud (and others) suggest that defense mechanisms differ with respect to “maturity”. That is, some defense mechanisms are more characteristic of healthy ego-function than others. Research also finds evidence that children are more likely to engage ‘less mature’ defense mechanisms than adults typically do. Please discuss the ‘maturity’ issue. Specifically, what makes one defense mechanism more “mature” than another (or more ‘primitive’)? How does the notion of ‘maturity’ relate to issues of the overall adjustment/adaptiveness of personality function?

Part 4: Now that you are more familiar with Freud’s views on self-deception, what do some contemporary psychologist think about this idea? Well, I have included some discussion of more contemporary/modern views of ‘defense mechanisms’ and self-deception. For the final point of discussion in this assignment, please describe the basic propositions advanced by these more modern approaches (by Baumeister and Trivers). How do they compare to the classic psychodynamic (Freudian) view?

Answer 1

• Psychodynamic view of anxiety and types of anxiety:-
• Freud’s earliest theory of anxiety goes back to the mid-1890s, predating even his use of the term ‘psychoanalysis’ itself.At this early stage he didn’t consider anxiety to be related to thoughts or ideas, but he did observe that it was closely linked to sexuality, defining it as sexual excitation that has been transformed.
• At this time, Freud thought of this sexual excitation or ‘libido’ as he called it, as a hypothetical substance that we might compare to something like testosterone.
• Freud’s argument was that when the path to satisfaction is blocked, the resulting build-up of unsatisfied libido takes on a toxic character, finding an outlet in anxiety.
• Freud’s views on anxiety shifted as he developed his theory of repression, which describes how the ideas connected to sexual urges are repelled from consciousness when they come into conflict with ‘civilised’ social norms. In other words, Freud claimed that the process of becoming social beings requires us to give up some of our sexual impulses.
• Freud considered three types-
• Objective anxiety results from a real threat in the physical world to one's well-being, as when a ferocious-looking dog appears from around the corner. The other two types are derived from objective anxiety.
• Neurotic anxiety results from the ego feeling overwhelmed by the id, which threatens to express its irrationality in thoughts and behavior. There is a fear of external punishment for such expression.
• Moral anxiety is based on a feeling that one's internalized values are about to be compromised. There is a fear of self-punishment (e.g., guilt) for acting contrary to one's values. Moral anxiety is a function of the development of the superego. Whatever the anxiety, the ego seeks to reduce it. Operating at the unconscious level, it employs defense mechanisms to distort or deny reality.
  
• Due to time limit,remaining can be asked as another question,they will be answered,thankyou for your cooperation