Re-Interpretation of Stories (Psychodynamic)

Psychoanalytic Theory: Sigmund Freud

There are two drives that motivate behaviour: Sex drive and Death drive (aggression)

Internal structure

Id: Pleasure principle; immediate gratification

Ego: Reality principle; re-direct id's impulses to more socially-acceptable behaviour. Resolves internal conflicts

Superego: Morality principle; forms conscience

There will be conflict between the three parts. The ego must solve internal conflicts

Compromise formation: Ego executes the compromise between the id and superego

Pleasure-seeking person dominated by the id

Guilt-ridden person dominated by the superego

Psychologically-healthy person dominated by ego

Techniques

Dream analysis and interpretation, free association (just talk), Rorschach inkblot test

Defences and lapses: Undesirable thoughts and desires from the unconscious mind may surface up to the conscious mind due to the weakening of the ego's control --> the person may think of something that he does not comprehend, say something that he did not mean to say, or do something that's unacceptable

Freudian slips: Verbal mistakes that can reveal unconscious beliefs, desires, and emotions

Personality development: How life energy becomes invested and redirected during growing-up years

Theory of psychosexual development

  1. Oral stage (dependency)
  1. Anal stage (autonomy)
  1. Phallic stage (identification)
  1. Latency stage: Other aspects of learning
  1. Genital stage (maturity)

Birth - 18 months: Mouth, lips, and tongue

Fixation results in oral-related behaviours (e.g. smoking, etc.)

18 months - 3 years: Pleasure from expelling feces and retaining them (toilet training)

Fixation results in disorganisation under stress

Too little autonomy: Sloppy and impulsive, defiant
Too much autonomy: Overly uptight and compulsive, submissive

3 - 7 years: Boy and girls discover that they are different

Sexual awakening: Boys will desire their mothers and girls their fathers (this is kinda messed up) --> Oedipal and Electra

Identification: Taking on the attitudes, morals, values of the parents that child identifies with

Sum of identification makes superego

Underdeveloped: No moral code

Overdeveloped: Rigid and cannot stand grey areas

Puberty onwards: Reproduction and contribution to society

Critique: Untestable, case study method (subjective interpretation), excessive complexity, sexist

Strengths: Influential theory, asked interesting questions, original ideas reinterpreted, influenced scientific investigations of topics (e.g. unconsciousness, etc.)

Carl Jung's Ideas: Myths express characters and stories that are encoded into the human species and express universal concerns. Basic ideas about the world are repeated across time and cultures

Erikson's psychosocial development

  1. Preschool: Initiative vs Guilt
  1. School age: Industry vs Inferiority
  1. Adolescence: Identity vs Role confusion
  1. Early childhood: Autonomy vs Shame and doubt
  1. Young Adulthood: Intimacy vs Isolation
  1. Infancy: Trust vs mistrust
  1. Middle adulthood: Generosity vs Stagnation
  1. Maturity: Ego integrity vs Despair

Marcia's Identity Statuses: Exploration + Commitment (identity formation in adolescence)

Low exploration + Low commitment: Identity diffusion --> I don't know and I don't care

Low exploration + High commitment: Foreclosure --> Conform to others' expectations; I made a decision without thinking

High exploration + High commitment: Identity achievement --> Best scenario; I thought about it and I know what to do with my life

High exploration + Low commitment: Moratorium --> Thinking about what I'm supposed to do

Narratives: One's identity is derived from the capacity to keep a particular narrative going

Life stories and narratives (internalised and evolving life stories) provide a person's life with identity by reconstructing the past and envisioning the future and helps one to make sense of who they are

Redemptive narrative: Negative experiences are turning into positive lessons from which one derives meaning

Turning point narrative: Episodes in which someone undergoes a substantial change

Meaning-making for young adults at 23 in emergent adulthood

More meaning-making associated with higher maturity and less identity diffusion and identity foreclosure

Benefits of writing: Improved mental health, enhanced relationship stability

Writing (more structured) > thinking (more disorganised and leads to rumination)

Identity is an integrated sense of self that defines who you are as a whole person

Parts of a narrative

Narrative tone: Emotional tone

Imagery: To convey unique qualities about life

Themes: goal-directed sequences that individual pursues; tells the audience the individual's motivation

Nuclear episodes: Points that stand out from the story

Ending: Provide an overall sense of integrity and purpose in life over time

Growth features in narratives positively associated with psychosocial adjustment, identity development, negatively related to mental health symptoms

Couples who wrote about their relationship were more likely to still be dating three months later (expressive writing makes interactions more positive and enhances relationship stability)