UNZA Pharmacy Training Lecture notes

1. Psychoanalytic Theories
J. M. Ncheka

2. • Freud’s model of the mind

3. • Freud explained various models of the mind at
different stages of his career.
• His theories comprised a number of separate
interlinked working models:
• Topographical model
• Developmental model
• Dynamic//drive instinct energy model
• Structural model

4. Topographical Model
• 1900
• Interpretation of dreams
• Three regions metaphorically arranged in the
‘psychic apparatus’ on a vertical axis from the
surface to the depth.

5. • This models says mental processes are divided
into three systems:
– Conscious
– Preconscious/Subconscious
– Unconscious

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7. Divisions of the Mind
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8. Unconsciousness
•Contains two parts:
–Unconscious proper made up of primal thought
processes which are primitive in origin.
–Repressed conscious material
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9. – Much of the mental activity lies outside the
sphere of consciousness.
– Influences the conscious thought, behaviour
even if not available to voluntary recall.

10. Preconscious/Subconscious
• Lies between unconscious and conscious.
• Not present at birth – develops in childhood.
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11. Conscious
• Constitutes only a tiny part of the mind.
• Aware of the present and controls purposeful
behaviour.
• Characterised by secondary process thinking.
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12. Dreams
• Latent content.
• Freud considered dreams to be:
– Psychologically meaningful
– Reflect unconscious mental processes.
– Represented unconscious wishes
– Repressed conflicts
• Cannot find expression in normal everyday life
• Royal road to the unconscious

13. • The manifest dream content refers to the
dream as experienced by the individual.
• Dream work:
– The mental process involved in conversion of
latent contents into manifest content.

14. Latent content___________Manifest content
Dream work

15. Dream work involves several modes
thinking:
• Condensation (several objects/people are
combined into a single image.)
– Mother is unrecognisable, then wife.

16. • Displacement

17. • Symbolism
– Transformation of thought into sensory/symbolic
images.
– Pointed objects are thought to represent:
• Penis
• Home
• Womb

18. • Content of manifest dream is affected by:
– Unconscious mind
– Sensory stimuli at the time of dreaming (hunger,
thirst, full bladder)

19. • Substitution

20. The Developmental Model
• Stages of psychosexual development

21. Psychosexual Development
• Five (5) phases that have great influence on
personality development.
• Each stage must be successfully met before
progressing to the next.
• Fixation causes emotional arrest.
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22. 1. Oral Phase (establishment of trust)
• Birth to 18 months
• Pleasure is derived from the mouth
– Sucking
– Biting
• Too much/little gratification can result in
fixation evidenced by a preoccupation with
oral activities.
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23. Fixation
• Tendency to smoke
• Drink alcohol
• Over eat
• Nail biting
• Perpetual followers
• Overly dependent
• Pessimism
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24. 2. Anal Phase (Strive for control)
• 18 months to 3 years
• Gratification - anal area
• Major achievement is toilet training (sphincter
control)
– Excretion
– Holding and letting go at will
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25. Fixation
• Obsession with cleanliness
• Perfection and control
• Messy and disorganized
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26. 3. Phallic Phase (Electra/Odedipal
complex)
• 3 to 5/6 years, genital area site of
gratification.
• Form a deep attachment to the parent of the
opposite sex.
• In boys, castration anxiety (Oedipus complex).
• In girls, penis envy, discontent with female
genitalia (Electra complex).
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27. Fixation
• Sexual deviancies
• Weak or confused sexual identity
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28. 4. Latency Phase (Period of calmness)
• 5/6 to 11/13.
• Learns to recognise and handle reality.
• Sexual drives channelled into socially
appropriate goals.
– Interpersonal relationship
– Sports
– School
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29. 5. Genital Phase (mature relationship)
• 11/13 into young adulthood.
• Puberty.
• Adult sexuality with capacity for intimacy.
• Gradual release from parental control with more
influence of peer group.
• True self identity develops.
• Direct their sexual urges onto opposite sex peers.
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30. The Structural Model
• He conceptualised the mind (psychic
apparatus) as consisting of three interacting
components:
– Id
– Ego
– Super ego.

31. The Id
• Totally unconscious,
• Contains basic drives and instincts concerned
with survival.
• Operates on pleasure principle, lacking any
direct link with reality.
• Demands immediate gratification.
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32. The Ego
• Operates on the reality principle.
• Operates at all 3 levels of consciousness.
• Maintains a balance between the Id and the
superego.
• Ability to delay gratification.
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33. Super Ego
• Develops from the ego.
• Composed of morals, values and ethics
derived from the effect of parental influence.
– Prohibition
– Punishment
– Criticisms
– Approval
– Rewards
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34. Summary