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Freud’s Theory of Personality Development (pg 32-33)
How is personality shaped by the id, ego and superego?
In the last topic, one of the assumptions we learned about was the Tripartite model of personality. That assumption is also classed as part of the theory section of the syllabus.
Freud argued that personality is split into three parts; the id, the ego and the superego. Conflict between these three parts of personality can lead to problems and mental disorder. Freud called the ability to be able to function despite the conflict between the different parts of personality ego strength. An individual who has a strong ego will be able to manage these pressures effectively. Someone who has a weak ego may give in to the id and superego too readily. According to Freud, the key to a healthy personality is being able to maintain a balance between the id, ego and superego.
Likewise, personality can be shaped by the strength of the id and superego.
TASK
• What do you think someone with a very strong id would be like?
• What about a very strong superego?
How is personality shaped by psychosexual development?
So we have an id, ego and superego, but where did these different parts of personality come from? According to Freud, they come about through the process of psychosexual development. These are five stages that all children go through, and the id, ego and superego develop throughout the stages. The child’s libido (sexual or psychic energy) is focused on a particular body part at each stage. Adult personality can also be shaped by fixation at these stages. This occurs if the child gets too much or too little gratification at a stage.
TASK
• Using the information on page 32, complete the table below
|Stage |Age |Libido focused on... |
|Oral | | |
|Anal | | |
|Phallic | | |
|Latency | | |
|Genital | | |
TASK
• What’s a good mnemonic to remember the order of the 5 stages
O__________
A__________
P__________________________
L___________
G__________________________
TASK
• Use the information on pages 32 to complete the information below.
Stage 1: The oral stage (0-1 year)
At birth, the only part of personality present is the id. The child’s libido is focused on the mouth, as the primary focus for children at this age is breastfeeding. Children will explore the world with their mouths, picking up objects and sucking them. During this stage, the child’s ego begins to form.
How does this shape adult personality?
If we have progress healthily through this stage, we will have the ability as adults to trust others, form healthy relationships and have an enjoyment of food and drink. An individual may become fixated at this stage in two ways. Should a child receive too much gratification (i.e. they are fed too much, or fed as soon as they want) as adults they may be optimistic and gullible, they may be too dependent upon others, too trusting and full of admiration for other people (oral receptive). If a child does not receive enough gratification, they may as adults be aggressive, pessimistic and full of envy and suspicion (oral aggressive).
Stage 2: The anal stage (1-3 years)
The libido is now focused on the anus, as this is the stage when toilet training takes place. The ego continues to develop as the child has to learn to delay their gratification (going to the toilet) until an appropriate time. In psychosexual terms, the id has to wait to be satisfied. They also learn that what they want is often different from what others want, meaning that there can be conflict between the child and parents.
How does this shape adult personality?
Healthy development: ___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Too little gratification (anal retentive): ______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Too much gratification (anal expulsive): if parents are too lax with potty training, and the child is allowed to go to the toilet anywhere, as adults they may be messy, disorganised, careless and defiant.
Stage 3: The phallic stage (3-6 years)
The libido is now focussed on the genitals (phallus means penis), and initially on the opposite sex parent. By this point the ego has formed, but the superego is not present. The superego comes about through the resolution of the Oedipus complex for boys, or the Electra complex for girls. At the resolution of these complexes, a child has an internalisation of their same sex parent which becomes the superego.
The Oedipus complex
Oedipus was a Greek mythical figure who killed his father and married his mother, although he was unaware of the relationships. Freud used this myth to explain his idea about the relationship between boys and their parents.
Freud said that during the phallic stage, the young boy focuses his sexual energy onto his mother. He begins to see his father as threat to the bond between him and his mother. The boy is jealous as the father is able to possess the mother in a sexual way which the boy is unable to. The boy also starts to fear his father. He fears that if his father knew about his feelings for the mother, he would castrate him (castration anxiety). The desire for the mother and the fear of the father are difficult to reconcile. The boy realises that one way to possess his mother is to become his father. Therefore the Oedipus complex is resolved when the boy internalises his father. This internal representation of his father becomes his superego.
The Electra complex
Girls go through a similar complex in the phallic stage. Girls realise that they don’t have a penis, and so feel that they have already been castrated. Girls start to develop penis envy. They know that their father has a penis, and so they develop sexual feelings towards him as a way of possessing his penis. They start to see their mother as a rival for the father. As the mother also does not possess a penis, the girl blames the mother for her own lack of a penis, believing that her mother has castrated her.
Similarly to boys, girls realise that they can possess their father by identifying with their mother. However, because penis envy is not as fearful as castration anxiety, the girl does not identify with her mother as strongly, and so has a weaker superego. According to Freud, females never completely resolve the Electra complex, and so are not as moral as boys. The girl replaces her penis envy with a desire for a baby.
TASK
• Put the following stages in the correct order
Oedipus complex
|Description |Correct order |
|1. Boy sees father as a rival for his mother’s attention, and wishes to kill him. | |
|2. Boy starts to desire his mother, and wants to have sex with her | |
|3. This leads to the development of the superego. The boy substitutes his desire for his mother into desire for other women. | |
|4. The boy is in a state of conflict. He resolves this by internalising and identifying with his father. | |
|5. He fears that if his father finds out about his feelings for his mother, he will castrate him. | |
Electra Complex
|Description |Correct order |
|1. The girl begins to develop penis envy. She blames her mother for removing her penis. | |
|2. She starts to sexually desire her father who has a penis. | |
|3. The superego develops, as does gender identity. She replaces penis envy with desire for a baby. | |
|4. The girl sees her mother as a sexual rival for her father. | |
|5. To resolve this, the girl identifies with her mother so that she can have her father. | |
How does this shape adult personality?
Healthy development: ___________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
Problems at this stage can lead to an adult with a phallic character: ____________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
Stage 4: The Latency stage (7 years - puberty)
What happens? _____________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
Stage 5: The genital stage (7 years - puberty)
The libido is once again focused on the genitals, but gratification is received from the opposite sex rather than parents. At this stage, adult personality is set, and any issues that were encountered during the first 3 stages will be revisited. In particular, the events of the Oedipus and Electra complexes have been repressed into the unconscious. During adolescence, there may be conflict again between adults and children, particularly if there were issues at previous stages of development.
If an individual has made it through the previous stages of development without issue, they will be a well adjusted mature adult who is capable of love and is able to be loved. They will work hard and contribute to society as well as being able to maintain healthy sexual relationships. Freud described this as a genital character.
TASK
• Complete the following table with key words that will help you remember how psychosexual development can affect adult personality
|Stage |Healthy Development |Frustration (not enough gratification) |Overindulgence (too much gratification) |
|Oral | |Oral aggressive |Oral Receptive |
|Anal | |Anal Retentive |Anal expulsive |
|Phallic | |Phallic character |
|Genital |Genital character |
Exam Focus: Essay Structure
1b: Describe Freud’s theory of personality development (8)
You can use the guidance sheet from SLT for this essay, as well as the “How to answer exam questions” handout.
The main thing to bear in mind with this essay is to remember to keep referring to how the theory explains adult personality. You will gain limited marks by jut describing the stages. You have to talk about how the stages have an effect on personality. Remember that you can use real world examples to add depth to your answers.
The sentences below are for guidance. Feel free to use some or all of these or if you would rather, you could come up with your own. You need to write about 250-300 words in total, so you may choose one part of the theory and write about it in detail, or you may choose to talk about more parts of the theory but in less depth. HAVE A PLAN. Know what you are going to write about before you start.
TASK
• Using the scaffolding above (as well as the “How to answer exam questions” handout), complete an answer to the following question.
o 1b: Describe Freud’s theory of personality development (8)
-----------------------
Going further...
• What do you think about this theory? Does it “feel” right?
• Although you do not need to be able to evaluate this theory for the exam, can you think of any strengths and weaknesses?
• Evidence for Freud’s theories came from case studies. There is information in the book on Little Hans, who Freud argued was going through the Oedipus complex. We will look at this case study in more detail when we do the methodology of the psychodynamic approach.
• Choose a fictional character and have a go a psychoanalysing them!
1. Freud argues that adult personality is made up of three parts . . .
2. These three parts do not always work in unison . . .
3. Freud argues that all children go through the same five stages of development . . .
4. Fixation at one of these stages can alter your adult personality . . .
5. During the phallic stage boys go through the Oedipus complex . . .
6. Girls similarly go through the Electra complex . . .
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