Psychoanalysis

Question 1

What is psychoanalysis?

Answer 1

• A treatment where the patient verbalises their thoughts through a variety of methods.

Question 2

What theory is psychoanalysis based on?

Answer 2

-Freuds theory of personality.
-It highlights the unconscious conflicts between the iD and the superego.

Question 3

How is psychoanalysis linked to criminality?

Answer 3

• Psychoanalysis sees a weak superego as a cause of criminality (link to freud), as the individual lacks a moral focus to curb their instincts.

Question 4

What is a weak superego usually a result of?

Answer 4

Inadequate early socialisation of a child / abnormal familial relationships.

Question 5

What does the treatment aim to resolve?

Answer 5

-Aims to bring a persons unconscious conflicts / repressed emotions to the conscious mind.

Question 6

What methods did Freud use?

Answer 6

Hypnosis and free association.

Question 7

Strengths?

Question 8

Weaknesses?

Answer 8

• Costly and time consuming.
• Gives analysts the power to deem whag is normal or abnormal (E.g freud deemed homosexuality abnormal) - > risks abuse.
• Very few positive evaluations.