{"id":146,"date":"2019-08-07T16:55:39","date_gmt":"2019-08-07T20:55:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/chapter\/freud-and-the-psychodynamic-perspective\/"},"modified":"2021-07-15T15:08:47","modified_gmt":"2021-07-15T19:08:47","slug":"freud-and-the-psychodynamic-perspective","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/chapter\/freud-and-the-psychodynamic-perspective\/","title":{"raw":"Freud and the Psychodynamic Perspective","rendered":"Freud and the Psychodynamic Perspective"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nBy the end of this section, you will be able to:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Describe the assumptions of the psychodynamic perspective on personality development<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Define and describe the nature and function of the id, ego, and superego<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Define and describe the defense mechanisms<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Define and describe the psychosexual stages of personality development<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm172961328\">Sigmund <span class=\"no-emphasis\" data-type=\"term\">Freud<\/span> (1856\u20131939) is probably the most controversial and misunderstood psychological theorist. When reading Freud\u2019s theories, it is important to remember that he was a medical doctor, not a psychologist. There was no such thing as a degree in psychology at the time that he received his education, which can help us understand some of the controversy over his theories today. However, Freud was the first to systematically study and theorize the workings of the unconscious mind in the manner that we associate with modern psychology.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp7373056\">In the early years of his career, Freud worked with Josef Breuer, a Viennese physician. During this time, Freud became intrigued by the story of one of Breuer\u2019s patients, Bertha Pappenheim, who was referred to by the pseudonym Anna O. (Launer, 2005). Anna O. had been caring for her dying father when she began to experience symptoms such as partial paralysis, headaches, blurred vision, amnesia, and hallucinations (Launer, 2005). In Freud\u2019s day, these symptoms were commonly referred to as hysteria. Anna O. turned to Breuer for help. He spent 2 years (1880\u20131882) treating Anna O. and discovered that allowing her to talk about her experiences seemed to bring some relief of her symptoms. Anna O. called his treatment the \u201ctalking cure\u201d (Launer, 2005). Despite the fact the Freud never met Anna O., her story served as the basis for the 1895 book, <em data-effect=\"italics\">Studies on Hysteria<\/em>, which he co-authored with Breuer. Based on Breuer\u2019s description of Anna O.\u2019s treatment, Freud concluded that hysteria was the result of sexual abuse in childhood and that these traumatic experiences had been hidden from consciousness. Breuer disagreed with Freud, which soon ended their work together. However, Freud continued to work to refine talk therapy and build his theory on personality.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm165913600\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Levels of Consciousness<\/h1>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm133967264\">To explain the concept of conscious versus unconscious experience, Freud compared the mind to an iceberg. He said that only about one-tenth of our mind is <span data-type=\"term\">conscious<\/span>, and the rest of our mind is <span data-type=\"term\">unconscious<\/span>. Our unconscious refers to that mental activity of which we are unaware and are unable to access (Freud, 1923). According to Freud, unacceptable urges and desires are kept in our unconscious through a process called repression. For example, we sometimes say things that we don\u2019t intend to say by unintentionally substituting another word for the one we meant. You\u2019ve probably heard of a Freudian slip, the term used to describe this. Freud suggested that slips of the tongue are actually sexual or aggressive urges, accidentally slipping out of our unconscious. Speech errors such as this are quite common. Seeing them as a reflection of unconscious desires, linguists today have found that slips of the tongue tend to occur when we are tired, nervous, or not at our optimal level of cognitive functioning (Motley, 2002).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"Figure_11_02_Iceberg\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"488\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2293\/2017\/08\/01160652\/CNX_Psych_11_02_Iceberg.jpg\" alt=\"The mind\u2019s conscious and unconscious states are illustrated as an iceberg floating in water. Beneath the water\u2019s surface in the \u201cunconscious\u201d area are the id, ego, and superego. The area above the water\u2019s surface is labeled \u201cconscious.\u201d Most of the iceberg\u2019s mass is contained underwater.\" width=\"488\" height=\"590\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/> Freud believed that we are only aware of a small amount of our mind\u2019s activities and that most of it remains hidden from us in our unconscious. The information in our unconscious affects our behavior, although we are unaware of it.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm165505376\">According to Freud, our personality develops from a conflict between two forces: our biological aggressive and pleasure-seeking drives versus our internal (socialized) control over these drives. Our personality is the result of our efforts to balance these two competing forces. Freud suggested that we can understand this by imagining three interacting systems within our minds. He called them the id, ego, and superego.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"Figure_16_02_Superego\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"649\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2293\/2017\/08\/01160655\/CNX_Psych_11_02_Superego.jpg\" alt=\"A chart illustrates an exchange of the Id, Superego, and Ego. Each has its own caption. The Id reads \u201cI want to do that now,\u201d and the Superego reads \u201cIt\u2019s not right to do that.\u201d These two captions each have an arrow pointing to the Ego\u2019s caption which reads \u201cMaybe we can compromise.\u201d\" width=\"649\" height=\"294\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/> The job of the ego, or self, is to balance the aggressive\/pleasure-seeking drives of the id with the moral control of the superego.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm91717920\">The unconscious <span data-type=\"term\">id<\/span> contains our most primitive drives or urges, and is present from birth. It directs impulses for hunger, thirst, and sex. Freud believed that the id operates on what he called the \u201cpleasure principle,\u201d in which the id seeks immediate gratification. Through social interactions with parents and others in a child\u2019s environment, the ego and superego develop to help control the id. The <span data-type=\"term\">superego<\/span> develops as a child interacts with others, learning the social rules for right and wrong. The superego acts as our conscience; it is our moral compass that tells us how we should behave. It strives for perfection and judges our behavior, leading to feelings of pride or\u2014when we fall short of the ideal\u2014feelings of guilt. In contrast to the instinctual id and the rule-based superego, the <span data-type=\"term\">ego<\/span> is the rational part of our personality. It\u2019s what Freud considered to be the self, and it is the part of our personality that is seen by others. Its job is to balance the demands of the id and superego in the context of reality; thus, it operates on what Freud called the \u201creality principle.\u201d The ego helps the id satisfy its desires in a realistic way.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm30363472\">The id and superego are in constant conflict, because the id wants instant gratification regardless of the consequences, but the superego tells us that we must behave in socially acceptable ways. Thus, the ego\u2019s job is to find the middle ground. It helps satisfy the id\u2019s desires in a rational way that will not lead us to feelings of guilt. According to Freud, a person who has a strong ego, which can balance the demands of the id and the superego, has a healthy personality. Freud maintained that imbalances in the system can lead to <span data-type=\"term\">neurosis<\/span> (a tendency to experience negative emotions), anxiety disorders, or unhealthy behaviors. For example, a person who is dominated by their id might be narcissistic and impulsive. A person with a dominant superego might be controlled by feelings of guilt and deny themselves even socially acceptable pleasures; conversely, if the superego is weak or absent, a person might become a psychopath. An overly dominant superego might be seen in an over-controlled individual whose rational grasp on reality is so strong that they are unaware of their emotional needs, or, in a neurotic who is overly defensive (overusing ego defense mechanisms).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm39996960\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Defense Mechanisms<\/h1>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm147693360\">Freud believed that feelings of anxiety result from the ego\u2019s inability to mediate the conflict between the id and superego. When this happens, Freud believed that the ego seeks to restore balance through various protective measures known as defense mechanisms. When certain events, feelings, or yearnings cause an individual anxiety, the individual wishes to reduce that anxiety. To do that, the individual\u2019s unconscious mind uses ego <span data-type=\"term\">defense mechanisms<\/span>, unconscious protective behaviors that aim to reduce anxiety. The ego, usually conscious, resorts to unconscious strivings to protect the ego from being overwhelmed by anxiety. When we use defense mechanisms, we are unaware that we are using them. Further, they operate in various ways that distort reality. According to Freud, we all use ego defense mechanisms.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"Figure_11_02_Defense\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"975\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2293\/2017\/08\/01160704\/CNX_Psych_11_02_Defense.jpg\" alt=\"A chart defines eight defense mechanisms and gives an example of each. \u201cDenial\u201d is defined as \u201cRefusing to accept real events because they are unpleasant.\u201d The example given is \u201cKaila refuses to admit she has an alcohol problem although she is unable to go a single day without drinking excessively.\u201d \u201cDisplacement\u201d is defined as \u201cTransferring inappropriate urges or behaviors onto a more acceptable or less threatening target.\u201d The example given is \u201cDuring lunch at a restaurant, Mark is angry at his older brother, but does not express it and instead is verbally abusive to the server.\u201d \u201cProjection\u201d is defined as \u201cAttributing unacceptable desires to others.\u201d The example given is \u201cChris often cheats on her boyfriend because she suspects he is already cheating on her.\u201d \u201cRationalization\u201d is defined as \u201cJustifying behaviors by substituting acceptable reasons for less-acceptable real reasons.\u201d The example given is \u201cKim failed his history course because he did not study or attend class, but he told his roommates that he failed because the professor didn\u2019t like him.\u201d \u201cReaction Formation\u201d is defined as \u201cReducing anxiety by adopting beliefs contrary to your own beliefs.\u201d The example given is \u201cNadia is angry with her coworker Beth for always arriving late to work after a night of partying, but she is nice and agreeable to Beth and affirms the partying as cool.\u201d \u201cRegression\u201d is defined as \u201cReturning to coping strategies for less mature stages of development.\u201d The example given is \u201cAfter failing to pass his doctoral examinations, Giorgio spends days in bed cuddling his favorite childhood toy.\u201d \u201cRepression\u201d is defined as \u201cSupressing painful memories and thoughts.\u201d The example given is \u201cLaShea cannot remember her grandfather\u2019s fatal heart attack, although she was present.\u201d \u201cSublimation\u201d is defined as \u201cRedirecting unacceptable desires through socially acceptable channels.\u201d The example given is \u201cJerome\u2019s desire for revenge on the drunk driver who killed his son is channeled into a community support group for people who\u2019ve lost loved ones to drunk driving.\u201d\" width=\"975\" height=\"1149\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/> Defense mechanisms are unconscious protective behaviors that work to reduce anxiety.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp10691696\">While everyone uses defense mechanisms, Freud believed that overuse of them may be problematic. For example, let\u2019s say Joe Smith is a high school football player. Deep down, Joe feels sexually attracted to males. His conscious belief is that being gay is immoral and that if he were gay, his family would disown him and he would be ostracized by his peers. Therefore, there is a conflict between his conscious beliefs (being gay is wrong and will result in being ostracized) and his unconscious urges (attraction to males). The idea that he might be gay causes Joe to have feelings of anxiety. How can he decrease his anxiety? Joe may find himself acting very \u201cmacho,\u201d making gay jokes, and picking on a school peer who is gay. This way, Joe\u2019s unconscious impulses are further submerged.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm2893472\">There are several different types of defense mechanisms. For instance, in repression, anxiety-causing memories from consciousness are blocked. As an analogy, let\u2019s say your car is making a strange noise, but because you do not have the money to get it fixed, you just turn up the radio so that you no longer hear the strange noise. Eventually you forget about it. Similarly, in the human psyche, if a memory is too overwhelming to deal with, it might be <span data-type=\"term\">repressed<\/span> and thus removed from conscious awareness (Freud, 1920). This repressed memory might cause symptoms in other areas.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm37492256\">Another defense mechanism is <span data-type=\"term\">reaction formation<\/span>, in which someone expresses feelings, thoughts, and behaviors opposite to their inclinations. In the above example, Joe made fun of a homosexual peer while himself being attracted to males. In <span data-type=\"term\">regression<\/span>, an individual acts much younger than their age. For example, a four-year-old child who resents the arrival of a newborn sibling may act like a baby and revert to drinking out of a bottle. In <span data-type=\"term\">projection<\/span>, a person refuses to acknowledge her own unconscious feelings and instead sees those feelings in someone else. Other defense mechanisms include <span data-type=\"term\">rationalization<\/span>, <span data-type=\"term\">displacement<\/span>, and <span data-type=\"term\">sublimation<\/span>.<span id=\"fs-idm71790064\" data-type=\"media\" data-alt=\"\"><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm165728240\" class=\"note psychology link-to-learning\" data-type=\"note\" data-has-label=\"true\" data-label=\"Link to Learning\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox\">\r\n\r\nWatch this video for a review of Freud\u2019s defense mechanisms: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zWpZS0WqMWs\">Freudian Defense Mechanisms<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zWpZS0WqMWs[\/embed]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm147779056\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Stages of Psychosexual Development<\/h1>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm35340176\">Freud believed that personality develops during early childhood: Childhood experiences shape our personalities as well as our behavior as adults. He asserted that we develop via a series of stages during childhood. Each of us must pass through these childhood stages, and if we do not have the proper nurturing and parenting during a stage, we will be stuck, or fixated, in that stage, even as adults.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm117472256\">In each <span data-type=\"term\">psychosexual stage of development<\/span>, the child\u2019s pleasure-seeking urges, coming from the id, are focused on a different area of the body, called an erogenous zone. The stages are oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm3470208\">Freud\u2019s psychosexual development theory is quite controversial. To understand the origins of the theory, it is helpful to be familiar with the political, social, and cultural influences of Freud\u2019s day in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century. During this era, a climate of sexual repression, combined with limited understanding and education surrounding human sexuality, heavily influenced Freud\u2019s perspective. Given that sex was a taboo topic, Freud assumed that negative emotional states (neuroses) stemmed from suppression of unconscious sexual and aggressive urges. For Freud, his own recollections and interpretations of patients\u2019 experiences and dreams were sufficient proof that psychosexual stages were universal events in early childhood.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<table id=\"fs-idm172201728\" style=\"width: 100%\" summary=\"A five column table outlines Freud\u2019s stages of psychosexual development. From left to right the columns are labeled, \u201cStage, Age (years), Erogenous Zone, Major Conflict, and Adult Fixation Example.\u201d The contents of the five rows are as follows. The first row contains \u201coral; 0\u20131; mouth; weaning off breast or bottle; and smoking, overeating.\u201d The second row contains \u201canal; 1\u20133; anus; toilet training; and neatness, messiness.\u201d The third row contains \u201cphallic; 3\u20136; genitals; Oedipus\/Electra complex; and vanity, overambition.\u201d The fourth row contains \u201clatency; 6\u201312; none; none; and none.\u201d The fifth row contains \u201cgenital; 12+; genitals; none; and none.\u201d\"><caption><span data-type=\"title\">Freud\u2019s Stages of Psychosexual Development<\/span><\/caption>\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th>Stage<\/th>\r\n<th>Age (years)<\/th>\r\n<th>Erogenous Zone<\/th>\r\n<th>Major Conflict<\/th>\r\n<th>Adult Fixation Example<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Oral<\/td>\r\n<td>0\u20131<\/td>\r\n<td>Mouth<\/td>\r\n<td>Weaning off breast or bottle<\/td>\r\n<td>Smoking, overeating<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Anal<\/td>\r\n<td>1\u20133<\/td>\r\n<td>Anus<\/td>\r\n<td>Toilet training<\/td>\r\n<td>Neatness, messiness<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Phallic<\/td>\r\n<td>3\u20136<\/td>\r\n<td>Genitals<\/td>\r\n<td>Oedipus\/Electra complex<\/td>\r\n<td>Vanity, overambition<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Latency<\/td>\r\n<td>6\u201312<\/td>\r\n<td>None<\/td>\r\n<td>None<\/td>\r\n<td>None<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Genital<\/td>\r\n<td>12+<\/td>\r\n<td>Genitals<\/td>\r\n<td>None<\/td>\r\n<td>None<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm966432\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Oral Stage<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm128330544\">In the <span data-type=\"term\">oral stage<\/span> (birth to 1 year), pleasure is focused on the mouth. Eating and the pleasure derived from sucking (nipples, pacifiers, and thumbs) play a large part in a baby\u2019s first year of life. At around 1 year of age, babies are weaned from the bottle or breast, and this process can create conflict if not handled properly by caregivers. According to Freud, an adult who smokes, drinks, overeats, or bites her nails is fixated in the oral stage of her psychosexual development; she may have been weaned too early or too late, resulting in these fixation tendencies, all of which seek to ease anxiety.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm81367680\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Anal Stage<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm90397328\">After passing through the oral stage, children enter what Freud termed the <span data-type=\"term\">anal stage<\/span> (1\u20133 years). In this stage, children experience pleasure in their bowel and bladder movements, so it makes sense that the conflict in this stage is over toilet training. Freud suggested that success at the anal stage depended on how parents handled toilet training. Parents who offer praise and rewards encourage positive results and can help children feel competent. Parents who are harsh in toilet training can cause a child to become fixated at the anal stage, leading to the development of an anal-retentive personality. The anal-retentive personality is stingy and stubborn, has a compulsive need for order and neatness, and might be considered a perfectionist. If parents are too lenient in toilet training, the child might also become fixated and display an anal-expulsive personality. The anal-expulsive personality is messy, careless, disorganized, and prone to emotional outbursts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm93605744\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Phallic Stage<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm44139824\">Freud\u2019s third stage of psychosexual development is the <span data-type=\"term\">phallic stage<\/span> (3\u20136 years), corresponding to the age when children become aware of their bodies and recognize the differences between boys and girls. The erogenous zone in this stage is the genitals. Conflict arises when the child feels a desire for the opposite-sex parent, and jealousy and hatred toward the same-sex parent. For boys, this is called the Oedipus complex, involving a boy's desire for his mother and his urge to replace his father who is seen as a rival for the mother\u2019s attention. At the same time, the boy is afraid his father will punish him for his feelings, so he experiences <em data-effect=\"italics\">castration anxiety<\/em>. The Oedipus complex is successfully resolved when the boy begins to identify with his father as an indirect way to have the mother. Failure to resolve the Oedipus complex may result in fixation and development of a personality that might be described as vain and overly ambitious.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm91515232\">Girls experience a comparable conflict in the phallic stage\u2014the Electra complex. The Electra complex, while often attributed to Freud, was actually proposed by Freud\u2019s prot\u00e9g\u00e9, Carl Jung (Jung &amp; Kerenyi, 1963). A girl desires the attention of her father and wishes to take her mother\u2019s place. Jung also said that girls are angry with the mother for not providing them with a penis\u2014hence the term <em data-effect=\"italics\">penis envy<\/em>. While Freud initially embraced the Electra complex as a parallel to the Oedipus complex, he later rejected it, yet it remains as a cornerstone of Freudian theory, thanks in part to academics in the field (Freud, 1931\/1968; Scott, 2005).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm23677696\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Latency Period<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm92986624\">Following the phallic stage of psychosexual development is a period known as the <span data-type=\"term\">latency period<\/span> (6 years to puberty). This period is not considered a stage, because sexual feelings are dormant as children focus on other pursuits, such as school, friendships, hobbies, and sports. Children generally engage in activities with peers of the same sex, which serves to consolidate a child\u2019s gender-role identity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm179698528\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"2\">\r\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Genital Stage<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm65546320\">The final stage is the <span data-type=\"term\">genital stage<\/span> (from puberty on). In this stage, there is a sexual reawakening as the incestuous urges resurface. The young person redirects these urges to other, more socially acceptable partners (who often resemble the other-sex parent). People in this stage have mature sexual interests, which for Freud meant a strong desire for the opposite sex. Individuals who successfully completed the previous stages, reaching the genital stage with no fixations, are said to be well-balanced, healthy adults.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp20694576\">While most of Freud\u2019s ideas have not found support in modern research, we cannot discount the contributions that Freud has made to the field of psychology. It was Freud who pointed out that a large part of our mental life is influenced by the experiences of early childhood and takes place outside of our conscious awareness; his theories paved the way for others.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm74488944\" class=\"summary\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Test Your Understanding<\/h1>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"573\"]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Summary<\/h1>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp9735856\">Sigmund Freud presented the first comprehensive theory of personality. He was also the first to recognize that much of our mental life takes place outside of our conscious awareness. Freud also proposed three components to our personality: the id, ego, and superego. The job of the ego is to balance the sexual and aggressive drives of the id with the moral ideal of the superego. Freud also said that personality develops through a series of psychosexual stages. In each stage, pleasure focuses on a specific erogenous zone. Failure to resolve a stage can lead one to become fixated in that stage, leading to unhealthy personality traits. Successful resolution of the stages leads to a healthy adult.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm191509488\" class=\"review-questions\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Review Questions<\/h1>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm135064480\" class=\"exercise\" data-type=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm86979104\" class=\"problem\" data-type=\"problem\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">[h5p id=\"359\"] &nbsp;[h5p id=\"126\"]<\/div>\r\n<div><\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm63357600\" class=\"critical-thinking\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Critical Thinking Questions<\/h1>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm167274640\" class=\"exercise\" data-type=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idp46283248\" class=\"problem\" data-type=\"problem\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\"><details><summary><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">\u00a0 \u00a0 How might the common expression \u201cdaddy\u2019s girl\u201d be rooted in the idea of the Electra complex?<\/span><\/summary>Since the idea behind the Electra complex is that the daughter competes with her same-sex parent for the attention of her opposite-sex parent, the term \u201cdaddy\u2019s girl\u201d might suggest that the daughter has an overly close relationship with her father and a more distant\u2014or even antagonistic\u2014relationship with her mother.\r\n\r\n<\/details>&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<details><summary><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">\u00a0 \u00a0 Describe the personality of someone who is fixated at the anal stage.<\/span><\/summary>If parents are too harsh during potty training, a person could become fixated at this stage and would be called anal retentive. The anal-retentive personality is stingy, stubborn, has a compulsive need for order and neatness, and might be considered a perfectionist. On the other hand, some parents may be too soft when it comes to potty training. In this case, Freud said that children could also become fixated and display an anal-expulsive personality. As an adult, an anal-expulsive personality is messy, careless, disorganized, and prone to emotional outbursts.\r\n\r\n<\/details><\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm151576352\" class=\"personal-application\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Personal Application Questions<\/h1>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm71578944\" class=\"exercise\" data-type=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idp16145440\" class=\"problem\" data-type=\"problem\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm26975984\">What are some examples of defense mechanisms that you have used yourself or have witnessed others using?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h1 data-type=\"glossary-title\">Glossary<\/h1>\r\n[h5p id=\"361\"]\r\n<h3>Media Attributions<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>\"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zWpZS0WqMWs\">Freudian Defense Mechanisms<\/a>\" by <a class=\"yt-simple-endpoint style-scope yt-formatted-string\" style=\"font-size: 14pt\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC7Tv_Nyblv3ZXaahrTQSpQw\">Brad Wray<\/a>. Standard YouTube License.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>By the end of this section, you will be able to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Describe the assumptions of the psychodynamic perspective on personality development<\/li>\n<li>Define and describe the nature and function of the id, ego, and superego<\/li>\n<li>Define and describe the defense mechanisms<\/li>\n<li>Define and describe the psychosexual stages of personality development<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idm172961328\">Sigmund <span class=\"no-emphasis\" data-type=\"term\">Freud<\/span> (1856\u20131939) is probably the most controversial and misunderstood psychological theorist. When reading Freud\u2019s theories, it is important to remember that he was a medical doctor, not a psychologist. There was no such thing as a degree in psychology at the time that he received his education, which can help us understand some of the controversy over his theories today. However, Freud was the first to systematically study and theorize the workings of the unconscious mind in the manner that we associate with modern psychology.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idp7373056\">In the early years of his career, Freud worked with Josef Breuer, a Viennese physician. During this time, Freud became intrigued by the story of one of Breuer\u2019s patients, Bertha Pappenheim, who was referred to by the pseudonym Anna O. (Launer, 2005). Anna O. had been caring for her dying father when she began to experience symptoms such as partial paralysis, headaches, blurred vision, amnesia, and hallucinations (Launer, 2005). In Freud\u2019s day, these symptoms were commonly referred to as hysteria. Anna O. turned to Breuer for help. He spent 2 years (1880\u20131882) treating Anna O. and discovered that allowing her to talk about her experiences seemed to bring some relief of her symptoms. Anna O. called his treatment the \u201ctalking cure\u201d (Launer, 2005). Despite the fact the Freud never met Anna O., her story served as the basis for the 1895 book, <em data-effect=\"italics\">Studies on Hysteria<\/em>, which he co-authored with Breuer. Based on Breuer\u2019s description of Anna O.\u2019s treatment, Freud concluded that hysteria was the result of sexual abuse in childhood and that these traumatic experiences had been hidden from consciousness. Breuer disagreed with Freud, which soon ended their work together. However, Freud continued to work to refine talk therapy and build his theory on personality.<\/p>\n<div id=\"fs-idm165913600\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Levels of Consciousness<\/h1>\n<p id=\"fs-idm133967264\">To explain the concept of conscious versus unconscious experience, Freud compared the mind to an iceberg. He said that only about one-tenth of our mind is <span data-type=\"term\">conscious<\/span>, and the rest of our mind is <span data-type=\"term\">unconscious<\/span>. Our unconscious refers to that mental activity of which we are unaware and are unable to access (Freud, 1923). According to Freud, unacceptable urges and desires are kept in our unconscious through a process called repression. For example, we sometimes say things that we don\u2019t intend to say by unintentionally substituting another word for the one we meant. You\u2019ve probably heard of a Freudian slip, the term used to describe this. Freud suggested that slips of the tongue are actually sexual or aggressive urges, accidentally slipping out of our unconscious. Speech errors such as this are quite common. Seeing them as a reflection of unconscious desires, linguists today have found that slips of the tongue tend to occur when we are tired, nervous, or not at our optimal level of cognitive functioning (Motley, 2002).<\/p>\n<div id=\"Figure_11_02_Iceberg\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\n<figure style=\"width: 488px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2293\/2017\/08\/01160652\/CNX_Psych_11_02_Iceberg.jpg\" alt=\"The mind\u2019s conscious and unconscious states are illustrated as an iceberg floating in water. Beneath the water\u2019s surface in the \u201cunconscious\u201d area are the id, ego, and superego. The area above the water\u2019s surface is labeled \u201cconscious.\u201d Most of the iceberg\u2019s mass is contained underwater.\" width=\"488\" height=\"590\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Freud believed that we are only aware of a small amount of our mind\u2019s activities and that most of it remains hidden from us in our unconscious. The information in our unconscious affects our behavior, although we are unaware of it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idm165505376\">According to Freud, our personality develops from a conflict between two forces: our biological aggressive and pleasure-seeking drives versus our internal (socialized) control over these drives. Our personality is the result of our efforts to balance these two competing forces. Freud suggested that we can understand this by imagining three interacting systems within our minds. He called them the id, ego, and superego.<\/p>\n<div id=\"Figure_16_02_Superego\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\n<figure style=\"width: 649px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2293\/2017\/08\/01160655\/CNX_Psych_11_02_Superego.jpg\" alt=\"A chart illustrates an exchange of the Id, Superego, and Ego. Each has its own caption. The Id reads \u201cI want to do that now,\u201d and the Superego reads \u201cIt\u2019s not right to do that.\u201d These two captions each have an arrow pointing to the Ego\u2019s caption which reads \u201cMaybe we can compromise.\u201d\" width=\"649\" height=\"294\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The job of the ego, or self, is to balance the aggressive\/pleasure-seeking drives of the id with the moral control of the superego.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idm91717920\">The unconscious <span data-type=\"term\">id<\/span> contains our most primitive drives or urges, and is present from birth. It directs impulses for hunger, thirst, and sex. Freud believed that the id operates on what he called the \u201cpleasure principle,\u201d in which the id seeks immediate gratification. Through social interactions with parents and others in a child\u2019s environment, the ego and superego develop to help control the id. The <span data-type=\"term\">superego<\/span> develops as a child interacts with others, learning the social rules for right and wrong. The superego acts as our conscience; it is our moral compass that tells us how we should behave. It strives for perfection and judges our behavior, leading to feelings of pride or\u2014when we fall short of the ideal\u2014feelings of guilt. In contrast to the instinctual id and the rule-based superego, the <span data-type=\"term\">ego<\/span> is the rational part of our personality. It\u2019s what Freud considered to be the self, and it is the part of our personality that is seen by others. Its job is to balance the demands of the id and superego in the context of reality; thus, it operates on what Freud called the \u201creality principle.\u201d The ego helps the id satisfy its desires in a realistic way.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm30363472\">The id and superego are in constant conflict, because the id wants instant gratification regardless of the consequences, but the superego tells us that we must behave in socially acceptable ways. Thus, the ego\u2019s job is to find the middle ground. It helps satisfy the id\u2019s desires in a rational way that will not lead us to feelings of guilt. According to Freud, a person who has a strong ego, which can balance the demands of the id and the superego, has a healthy personality. Freud maintained that imbalances in the system can lead to <span data-type=\"term\">neurosis<\/span> (a tendency to experience negative emotions), anxiety disorders, or unhealthy behaviors. For example, a person who is dominated by their id might be narcissistic and impulsive. A person with a dominant superego might be controlled by feelings of guilt and deny themselves even socially acceptable pleasures; conversely, if the superego is weak or absent, a person might become a psychopath. An overly dominant superego might be seen in an over-controlled individual whose rational grasp on reality is so strong that they are unaware of their emotional needs, or, in a neurotic who is overly defensive (overusing ego defense mechanisms).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm39996960\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Defense Mechanisms<\/h1>\n<p id=\"fs-idm147693360\">Freud believed that feelings of anxiety result from the ego\u2019s inability to mediate the conflict between the id and superego. When this happens, Freud believed that the ego seeks to restore balance through various protective measures known as defense mechanisms. When certain events, feelings, or yearnings cause an individual anxiety, the individual wishes to reduce that anxiety. To do that, the individual\u2019s unconscious mind uses ego <span data-type=\"term\">defense mechanisms<\/span>, unconscious protective behaviors that aim to reduce anxiety. The ego, usually conscious, resorts to unconscious strivings to protect the ego from being overwhelmed by anxiety. When we use defense mechanisms, we are unaware that we are using them. Further, they operate in various ways that distort reality. According to Freud, we all use ego defense mechanisms.<\/p>\n<div id=\"Figure_11_02_Defense\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\n<figure style=\"width: 975px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2293\/2017\/08\/01160704\/CNX_Psych_11_02_Defense.jpg\" alt=\"A chart defines eight defense mechanisms and gives an example of each. \u201cDenial\u201d is defined as \u201cRefusing to accept real events because they are unpleasant.\u201d The example given is \u201cKaila refuses to admit she has an alcohol problem although she is unable to go a single day without drinking excessively.\u201d \u201cDisplacement\u201d is defined as \u201cTransferring inappropriate urges or behaviors onto a more acceptable or less threatening target.\u201d The example given is \u201cDuring lunch at a restaurant, Mark is angry at his older brother, but does not express it and instead is verbally abusive to the server.\u201d \u201cProjection\u201d is defined as \u201cAttributing unacceptable desires to others.\u201d The example given is \u201cChris often cheats on her boyfriend because she suspects he is already cheating on her.\u201d \u201cRationalization\u201d is defined as \u201cJustifying behaviors by substituting acceptable reasons for less-acceptable real reasons.\u201d The example given is \u201cKim failed his history course because he did not study or attend class, but he told his roommates that he failed because the professor didn\u2019t like him.\u201d \u201cReaction Formation\u201d is defined as \u201cReducing anxiety by adopting beliefs contrary to your own beliefs.\u201d The example given is \u201cNadia is angry with her coworker Beth for always arriving late to work after a night of partying, but she is nice and agreeable to Beth and affirms the partying as cool.\u201d \u201cRegression\u201d is defined as \u201cReturning to coping strategies for less mature stages of development.\u201d The example given is \u201cAfter failing to pass his doctoral examinations, Giorgio spends days in bed cuddling his favorite childhood toy.\u201d \u201cRepression\u201d is defined as \u201cSupressing painful memories and thoughts.\u201d The example given is \u201cLaShea cannot remember her grandfather\u2019s fatal heart attack, although she was present.\u201d \u201cSublimation\u201d is defined as \u201cRedirecting unacceptable desires through socially acceptable channels.\u201d The example given is \u201cJerome\u2019s desire for revenge on the drunk driver who killed his son is channeled into a community support group for people who\u2019ve lost loved ones to drunk driving.\u201d\" width=\"975\" height=\"1149\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Defense mechanisms are unconscious protective behaviors that work to reduce anxiety.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idp10691696\">While everyone uses defense mechanisms, Freud believed that overuse of them may be problematic. For example, let\u2019s say Joe Smith is a high school football player. Deep down, Joe feels sexually attracted to males. His conscious belief is that being gay is immoral and that if he were gay, his family would disown him and he would be ostracized by his peers. Therefore, there is a conflict between his conscious beliefs (being gay is wrong and will result in being ostracized) and his unconscious urges (attraction to males). The idea that he might be gay causes Joe to have feelings of anxiety. How can he decrease his anxiety? Joe may find himself acting very \u201cmacho,\u201d making gay jokes, and picking on a school peer who is gay. This way, Joe\u2019s unconscious impulses are further submerged.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm2893472\">There are several different types of defense mechanisms. For instance, in repression, anxiety-causing memories from consciousness are blocked. As an analogy, let\u2019s say your car is making a strange noise, but because you do not have the money to get it fixed, you just turn up the radio so that you no longer hear the strange noise. Eventually you forget about it. Similarly, in the human psyche, if a memory is too overwhelming to deal with, it might be <span data-type=\"term\">repressed<\/span> and thus removed from conscious awareness (Freud, 1920). This repressed memory might cause symptoms in other areas.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm37492256\">Another defense mechanism is <span data-type=\"term\">reaction formation<\/span>, in which someone expresses feelings, thoughts, and behaviors opposite to their inclinations. In the above example, Joe made fun of a homosexual peer while himself being attracted to males. In <span data-type=\"term\">regression<\/span>, an individual acts much younger than their age. For example, a four-year-old child who resents the arrival of a newborn sibling may act like a baby and revert to drinking out of a bottle. In <span data-type=\"term\">projection<\/span>, a person refuses to acknowledge her own unconscious feelings and instead sees those feelings in someone else. Other defense mechanisms include <span data-type=\"term\">rationalization<\/span>, <span data-type=\"term\">displacement<\/span>, and <span data-type=\"term\">sublimation<\/span>.<span id=\"fs-idm71790064\" data-type=\"media\" data-alt=\"\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"fs-idm165728240\" class=\"note psychology link-to-learning\" data-type=\"note\" data-has-label=\"true\" data-label=\"Link to Learning\">\n<div class=\"textbox\">\n<p>Watch this video for a review of Freud\u2019s defense mechanisms: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zWpZS0WqMWs\">Freudian Defense Mechanisms<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-1\" title=\"Freudian Defense Mechanisms\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zWpZS0WqMWs?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm147779056\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Stages of Psychosexual Development<\/h1>\n<p id=\"fs-idm35340176\">Freud believed that personality develops during early childhood: Childhood experiences shape our personalities as well as our behavior as adults. He asserted that we develop via a series of stages during childhood. Each of us must pass through these childhood stages, and if we do not have the proper nurturing and parenting during a stage, we will be stuck, or fixated, in that stage, even as adults.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm117472256\">In each <span data-type=\"term\">psychosexual stage of development<\/span>, the child\u2019s pleasure-seeking urges, coming from the id, are focused on a different area of the body, called an erogenous zone. The stages are oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm3470208\">Freud\u2019s psychosexual development theory is quite controversial. To understand the origins of the theory, it is helpful to be familiar with the political, social, and cultural influences of Freud\u2019s day in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century. During this era, a climate of sexual repression, combined with limited understanding and education surrounding human sexuality, heavily influenced Freud\u2019s perspective. Given that sex was a taboo topic, Freud assumed that negative emotional states (neuroses) stemmed from suppression of unconscious sexual and aggressive urges. For Freud, his own recollections and interpretations of patients\u2019 experiences and dreams were sufficient proof that psychosexual stages were universal events in early childhood.<\/p>\n<table id=\"fs-idm172201728\" style=\"width: 100%\" summary=\"A five column table outlines Freud\u2019s stages of psychosexual development. From left to right the columns are labeled, \u201cStage, Age (years), Erogenous Zone, Major Conflict, and Adult Fixation Example.\u201d The contents of the five rows are as follows. The first row contains \u201coral; 0\u20131; mouth; weaning off breast or bottle; and smoking, overeating.\u201d The second row contains \u201canal; 1\u20133; anus; toilet training; and neatness, messiness.\u201d The third row contains \u201cphallic; 3\u20136; genitals; Oedipus\/Electra complex; and vanity, overambition.\u201d The fourth row contains \u201clatency; 6\u201312; none; none; and none.\u201d The fifth row contains \u201cgenital; 12+; genitals; none; and none.\u201d\">\n<caption><span data-type=\"title\">Freud\u2019s Stages of Psychosexual Development<\/span><\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Stage<\/th>\n<th>Age (years)<\/th>\n<th>Erogenous Zone<\/th>\n<th>Major Conflict<\/th>\n<th>Adult Fixation Example<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Oral<\/td>\n<td>0\u20131<\/td>\n<td>Mouth<\/td>\n<td>Weaning off breast or bottle<\/td>\n<td>Smoking, overeating<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Anal<\/td>\n<td>1\u20133<\/td>\n<td>Anus<\/td>\n<td>Toilet training<\/td>\n<td>Neatness, messiness<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Phallic<\/td>\n<td>3\u20136<\/td>\n<td>Genitals<\/td>\n<td>Oedipus\/Electra complex<\/td>\n<td>Vanity, overambition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Latency<\/td>\n<td>6\u201312<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Genital<\/td>\n<td>12+<\/td>\n<td>Genitals<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<td>None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div id=\"fs-idm966432\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"2\">\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Oral Stage<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm128330544\">In the <span data-type=\"term\">oral stage<\/span> (birth to 1 year), pleasure is focused on the mouth. Eating and the pleasure derived from sucking (nipples, pacifiers, and thumbs) play a large part in a baby\u2019s first year of life. At around 1 year of age, babies are weaned from the bottle or breast, and this process can create conflict if not handled properly by caregivers. According to Freud, an adult who smokes, drinks, overeats, or bites her nails is fixated in the oral stage of her psychosexual development; she may have been weaned too early or too late, resulting in these fixation tendencies, all of which seek to ease anxiety.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm81367680\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"2\">\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Anal Stage<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm90397328\">After passing through the oral stage, children enter what Freud termed the <span data-type=\"term\">anal stage<\/span> (1\u20133 years). In this stage, children experience pleasure in their bowel and bladder movements, so it makes sense that the conflict in this stage is over toilet training. Freud suggested that success at the anal stage depended on how parents handled toilet training. Parents who offer praise and rewards encourage positive results and can help children feel competent. Parents who are harsh in toilet training can cause a child to become fixated at the anal stage, leading to the development of an anal-retentive personality. The anal-retentive personality is stingy and stubborn, has a compulsive need for order and neatness, and might be considered a perfectionist. If parents are too lenient in toilet training, the child might also become fixated and display an anal-expulsive personality. The anal-expulsive personality is messy, careless, disorganized, and prone to emotional outbursts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm93605744\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"2\">\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Phallic Stage<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm44139824\">Freud\u2019s third stage of psychosexual development is the <span data-type=\"term\">phallic stage<\/span> (3\u20136 years), corresponding to the age when children become aware of their bodies and recognize the differences between boys and girls. The erogenous zone in this stage is the genitals. Conflict arises when the child feels a desire for the opposite-sex parent, and jealousy and hatred toward the same-sex parent. For boys, this is called the Oedipus complex, involving a boy&#8217;s desire for his mother and his urge to replace his father who is seen as a rival for the mother\u2019s attention. At the same time, the boy is afraid his father will punish him for his feelings, so he experiences <em data-effect=\"italics\">castration anxiety<\/em>. The Oedipus complex is successfully resolved when the boy begins to identify with his father as an indirect way to have the mother. Failure to resolve the Oedipus complex may result in fixation and development of a personality that might be described as vain and overly ambitious.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm91515232\">Girls experience a comparable conflict in the phallic stage\u2014the Electra complex. The Electra complex, while often attributed to Freud, was actually proposed by Freud\u2019s prot\u00e9g\u00e9, Carl Jung (Jung &amp; Kerenyi, 1963). A girl desires the attention of her father and wishes to take her mother\u2019s place. Jung also said that girls are angry with the mother for not providing them with a penis\u2014hence the term <em data-effect=\"italics\">penis envy<\/em>. While Freud initially embraced the Electra complex as a parallel to the Oedipus complex, he later rejected it, yet it remains as a cornerstone of Freudian theory, thanks in part to academics in the field (Freud, 1931\/1968; Scott, 2005).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm23677696\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"2\">\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Latency Period<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm92986624\">Following the phallic stage of psychosexual development is a period known as the <span data-type=\"term\">latency period<\/span> (6 years to puberty). This period is not considered a stage, because sexual feelings are dormant as children focus on other pursuits, such as school, friendships, hobbies, and sports. Children generally engage in activities with peers of the same sex, which serves to consolidate a child\u2019s gender-role identity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm179698528\" class=\"bc-section section\" data-depth=\"2\">\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Genital Stage<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm65546320\">The final stage is the <span data-type=\"term\">genital stage<\/span> (from puberty on). In this stage, there is a sexual reawakening as the incestuous urges resurface. The young person redirects these urges to other, more socially acceptable partners (who often resemble the other-sex parent). People in this stage have mature sexual interests, which for Freud meant a strong desire for the opposite sex. Individuals who successfully completed the previous stages, reaching the genital stage with no fixations, are said to be well-balanced, healthy adults.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idp20694576\">While most of Freud\u2019s ideas have not found support in modern research, we cannot discount the contributions that Freud has made to the field of psychology. It was Freud who pointed out that a large part of our mental life is influenced by the experiences of early childhood and takes place outside of our conscious awareness; his theories paved the way for others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm74488944\" class=\"summary\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Test Your Understanding<\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<div id=\"h5p-573\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-573\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"573\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"11.2 Freud\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Summary<\/h1>\n<p id=\"fs-idp9735856\">Sigmund Freud presented the first comprehensive theory of personality. He was also the first to recognize that much of our mental life takes place outside of our conscious awareness. Freud also proposed three components to our personality: the id, ego, and superego. The job of the ego is to balance the sexual and aggressive drives of the id with the moral ideal of the superego. Freud also said that personality develops through a series of psychosexual stages. In each stage, pleasure focuses on a specific erogenous zone. Failure to resolve a stage can lead one to become fixated in that stage, leading to unhealthy personality traits. Successful resolution of the stages leads to a healthy adult.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm191509488\" class=\"review-questions\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Review Questions<\/h1>\n<div id=\"fs-idm135064480\" class=\"exercise\" data-type=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-idm86979104\" class=\"problem\" data-type=\"problem\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<div id=\"h5p-359\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-359\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"359\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Ch.11 Freud and the Psychodynamic Perspective (OS Questions)\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> &nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"h5p-126\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-126\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"126\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"(11.2) A whole lotta Freud 3\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm63357600\" class=\"critical-thinking\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Critical Thinking Questions<\/h1>\n<div id=\"fs-idm167274640\" class=\"exercise\" data-type=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-idp46283248\" class=\"problem\" data-type=\"problem\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<details>\n<summary><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">\u00a0 \u00a0 How might the common expression \u201cdaddy\u2019s girl\u201d be rooted in the idea of the Electra complex?<\/span><\/summary>\n<p>Since the idea behind the Electra complex is that the daughter competes with her same-sex parent for the attention of her opposite-sex parent, the term \u201cdaddy\u2019s girl\u201d might suggest that the daughter has an overly close relationship with her father and a more distant\u2014or even antagonistic\u2014relationship with her mother.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<details>\n<summary><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\">\u00a0 \u00a0 Describe the personality of someone who is fixated at the anal stage.<\/span><\/summary>\n<p>If parents are too harsh during potty training, a person could become fixated at this stage and would be called anal retentive. The anal-retentive personality is stingy, stubborn, has a compulsive need for order and neatness, and might be considered a perfectionist. On the other hand, some parents may be too soft when it comes to potty training. In this case, Freud said that children could also become fixated and display an anal-expulsive personality. As an adult, an anal-expulsive personality is messy, careless, disorganized, and prone to emotional outbursts.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm151576352\" class=\"personal-application\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<h1 data-type=\"title\">Personal Application Questions<\/h1>\n<div id=\"fs-idm71578944\" class=\"exercise\" data-type=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-idp16145440\" class=\"problem\" data-type=\"problem\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm26975984\">What are some examples of defense mechanisms that you have used yourself or have witnessed others using?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1 data-type=\"glossary-title\">Glossary<\/h1>\n<div id=\"h5p-361\">\n<div class=\"h5p-iframe-wrapper\"><iframe id=\"h5p-iframe-361\" class=\"h5p-iframe\" data-content-id=\"361\" style=\"height:1px\" src=\"about:blank\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Ch.11 Freud and the Psychodynamic Perspective (OS Glossary)\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Media Attributions<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zWpZS0WqMWs\">Freudian Defense Mechanisms<\/a>&#8221; by <a class=\"yt-simple-endpoint style-scope yt-formatted-string\" style=\"font-size: 14pt\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC7Tv_Nyblv3ZXaahrTQSpQw\">Brad Wray<\/a>. Standard YouTube License.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-146","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":141,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/146","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/103"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/146\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1172,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/146\/revisions\/1172"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/141"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/146\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=146"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=146"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/psychologyh5p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=146"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}