The Freudian Approach: Relevant Research



Chapter 4

Empirical support has been obtained for Freud's theory, in no case is this support clear and unequivocal.

Dream Analysis: Freud believed nearly all dreams are wish fulfillment—some wishes obvious, dream theme is the wish. Most wishes expressed in latent content so interpretation needed to uncover the wish.

Manifest content---the surface meaning of dream, the conscious description given by dreamer.

Latent content---refers to unconscious material

Dreams formed in the unconscious and originate as attempts by unconscious wishes to become conscious. Wishes must slip past primary and final censors---guardians of unconscious psychic material. Wishes disguised---the latent content

The content of dreams

Study of children in Palestine; constant stress had more dreams

Men tend to dream about male characters twice as often as they dream about female characters. Some researchers interpret this finding as evidence of men's preoccupation with other men, a holdover from unresolved Oedipal impulses—father conflict not resolved so displaced onto other men

Sexual content—some research found a link with anxiety

Recurrent dreams more likely to hold threatening images

The discovery of REM sleep allowed investigators to better examine the function of dreams. It is not clear that deprivation of REM sleep is related to psychological disorders, some research indicates that dreaming may help the sleeper work through ongoing problems.

To interpret dreams—tell dream and all their associations with dream.

Dream symbols—discover unconscious elements underlying manifest or obvious content

(Ch 3) Universal set of symbols used by unconscious to disguise hidden content of dreams (latent).

Set of symbols is small---human body, parents, children, brother/sister, birth, death and nakedness

Body = house

Parents = kings/queens

Children, siblings = small animals or vermin

Birth= reference to water

Death = journey

Nakedness=clothes & uniforms

Sexual life is richest collection of symbols, most symbols in dreams are sexual in meaning

Number 3 symbolic substitution for male genitalia; penis represented by elongated objects (trees, pencils, guns)

Containers (closets, rooms, ovens and cars), ships & doors, also melons, represent female genitalia

Dreams of flying signify desire for sexual adventure

Sexual intercourse disguised as riding a horse ,dancing, riding or shooting a gun

Defense Mechanisms

Projective tests and other procedures are used to determine which defense mechanisms people use.

Identification: men & women in study using gender identity

Studies find young children tend to rely on unsophisticated defense mechanisms, such as denial. Low in understanding of emotions

Adolescents found to use projection

Limitation of projection: study of 9 – 11 yr olds with few friend problems—likely to use projection when rejected socially. Not acknowledging reason for rejection interfered with better social adjustment

Adults use more sophisticated mechanism. Use of defense mechanisms other than denial and projection considered a sign of emotional maturity.

Defensive style—individual patterns of use of defense mechanisms.

People who rely heavily on immature defense mechanisms may have more difficulties with personal adjustment and well-being than those who use more efficient and productive defense mechanisms.

More effective def mechanisms suggest signs of general well being or adjustment.

Sublimation—can improve one’s life

Adaptive or maladaptive-depends on how it’s used, relied on, and person’s age.

Study: adults who commonly use immature and ineffective def mech (denial) more problems with hostility, depression and alcohol abuse

How react to stress: study of expectant parents

Freud outlined a theory of humor, arguing that sexual and aggressive themes underlie much of what we find funny.

Supporting this--researchers find that people think hostile humor is funnier when it is aimed at someone they dislike.

some research indicates that hostile humor reduces the likelihood of aggression (catharsis), as Freud predicted.

Other studies find the opposite.

the more tension people experience before receiving a punch line, the funnier they find a joke.

Although many research findings are consistent with Freud's theory, many also are open to alternative interpretations.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is an alternate state of heightened suggestibility characterized by narrowed, highly focused attention, increased use of imagination, a passive and receptive attitude, decreased responsiveness to pain, and heightened suggestibility.

Used as a clinical tool by physicians and dentists to reduce pain and increase concentration, and by therapists as an adjunct to psychotherapy.

18th century—Anton Mesmer cured patients by passing magnets over their bodies—animal magnetism. Some form of hypnotic suggestion. “mesmerized”

Need willing participant, state of concentration, accompanied by some type of relaxing instruction. Wanting to be hypnotized or believing in it important.

Hypnotic participants often behave as if they are in an altered state of consciousness, skeptical researchers explain these phenomena in terms of expectancies, motivations, and relaxation.

Hypnotic responsiveness is largely a participant variable. People who are generally able to become absorbed in a situation tend to be responsive to hypnotic suggestions.

Attitudes, expectancies, and motivations play a role.

Some evidence that people can increase their responsiveness with training

Uses: inhibit pain—affect emotional components. Post-hypnotic suggestion—person will experience a thought/feeling or will do something, after coming out of hypnosis. Evidence suggests hypnosis does not alter sensory info—only way react to it.

Can not do: exhibit “special powers”—only if able to when not hypnotized.

Evidence not there for recalling hard to remember events.

Altered state of consciousness? Special state of consciousness features suggestibility; others emphasize similarities to waking consciousness.

Studies have shown hypnosis not difficult to fake.

Role playing or altered state of consciousness?

Dreams

Dreaming must be important to humans; otherwise, REM sleep would be shorter. Adults who sleep approximately eight hours per night spend about 22% of the time in REM-- dreaming almost two hours each day, and almost one month each year.

What do you dream about? extensive surveys suggest almost all dreams are based on visual images (excluding children who are blind from an early age), although sound and touch may be involved. The normal rules of logic do not apply.

The dreamer may be in one location and then abruptly be translocated to another place. Most dreams occur in some sort of dwelling; the majority of the times this is not one's home--most often reported room of the house for a dream is the living room.

Work place is seldom mentioned. In many dreams, the dreamer is alone; however, the most frequent scenario is the dreamer plus two other people.

The vast majority of people dream about people who are significant to them, especially if there is an ongoing conflict. Mundane or routine actions seldom occur--brush teeth or wash dishes in a dream. Dreams tend not to be happy events. The three most common emotions are fear, anger, and sadness.

Male-female differences in the content of dreams: men dream more of the outdoors and of strangers. Women report dreams containing people with whom they have significant close relationships and the location tends to be indoors.

Men dream more often of other men; women dream equally of both sexes. Males spends less time than the female dreaming of the opposite sex. Physical aggression appears more often in male dreams, and the aggressor is most often male for both male and female dreamers. Females are more often the victim during dreams of aggression.

some dreams common & found the world over . universal themes include loss of a tooth, falling or flying, exhibition, examination, and arriving late for events. loss of tooth dream was interpreted as an omen of an impending death, Freud linked this type of dream to a death wish that has bubbled out of the unconscious

Falling dreams appear to be associated with feelings of great anxiety. one of the myths about dreams is that you will die if the falling action is completed and hit bottom--most people do wake up because the anxiety is so great that the dreamer cannot tolerate it.

Exhibition dreams usually deal with some private, hidden information one fears revealing. The most common exhibition dream is being nude or half-clothed in public. A similar dream involves "bathroom" behaviors and suddenly becoming aware of an audience.

Freud attributes these dreams to wish-fulfillment. However, for those reporting these dreams, the most common emotion is one of great embarrassment and/or feelings of inferiority. The examination dream occurs when facing a test, hurdle, or new challenge--involves inability to handle the task. The final theme, arriving late, is associated with feelings of frustration; for example, unable to make a train, get to class, or run fast enough.

Hypnosis - Hypnosis is an alternate state of heightened suggestibility characterized by narrowed, highly focused attention, increased use of imagination, a passive and receptive attitude, decreased responsiveness to pain, and heightened suggestibility.

Used as a clinical tool by physicians and dentists to reduce pain and increase concentration, and by therapists as an adjunct to psychotherapy.

18th century—Anton Mesmer cured patients by passing magnets over their bodies—animal magnetism. Some form of hypnotic suggestion. “mesmerized”

Need willing participant, state of concentration, accompanied by some type of relaxing instruction. Wanting to be hypnotized or believing in it important.

Uses: inhibit pain—affect emotional components. Post-hypnotic suggestion—person will experience a thought/feeling or will do something, after coming out of hypnosis. Evidence suggests hypnosis does not alter sensory info—only way react to it.

Can not do: exhibit “special powers”—only if able to when not hypnotized.

Evidence not there for recalling hard to remember events.

Altered state of consciousness? Special state of consciousness features suggestibility; others emphasize similarities to waking consciousness.

Studies have shown hypnosis not difficult to fake.

Role playing or altered state of consciousness?

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download