Full Assessment Title

Jesse van Niekerk

BAppSocSci

South African College of Applied Psychology (Pty) Ltd.

Intro to Psychology B

Hayley Seha

27 September
 Table of Contents

Personality Development through the lens of Psychoanalysis .......................................................

Personality Development - 250 3

The key characteristics of the psychoanalytic approach – 200 4

Impact of the Psychoanalytic Approach to Counselling – 200 words 5

Strengths and Limitations of the psychoanalytic approach – 200 6

Conclusion – 100.............................................................................................................................

References........................................................................................................................................

Personality Development through the lens of Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud, a pioneer in the field of psychological work put forth into the world

the theory of Psychoanalysis. This theory was the first of its kind and shook the world by
reforming and shifting perceptions of both personality and the human mind (Schultz &

Schultz, 2017). Much of Freud’s work on personality seems to find origin in his own

childhood and upbringing. An example of this is seen in the observation of the relationship

with his parents, specifically the feelings of hostility toward his father and opposing

passionate love for his mother, contributed to Freud’s developing the concept of the Oedipus

complex (Schultz & Schultz, 2017).

Personality Development

Freud put forth the notion that personality development takes place in large part

within the first 5 years of life through the resolution of conflict(s) in progressing

psychosexual stages (Ryckman, 2008). According to psychoanalytic theory, there are five

stages of development, four of which are categorized while one stage is a period of dormant

sexual interest (the latency stage) (Ryckman, 2008).

Each of the psychosexual stages is characterized by an erogenous zone from which

most pleasure is derived and where surrounding conflicts emerge during that period (Swartz

et al., 2016). If too much stress is incurred to the child during development, the result may be

the failure to resolve these conflicts effectively. As a result, a portion of their libidinal energy

remains at that stage and is termed fixation. This means that a portion of energy will be

unavailable during the coming stages (Swartz et al., 2016).

The first psychosexual stage, known as the oral stage(1 year old), points to the mouth

as the first source of erotic pleasure, this pleasure derives from both suckling and the

receiving of nutrients from the mother. A successful resolution of this phase would entail

weaning the child from either the bottle, breast or both(Swartz et al., 2016). A fixation

occurring at this stage would come as the result of either over/under responding to the

corresponding oral needs (Ryckman, 2008). Failure to overcome this stage would
characterise personality types oral-dependant and oral-sadistic with their accompanying traits

(Swartz et al., 2016).

The anal stage (2 -3 years old) is characterised by the emergence of ego control and it

begins to challenge the impulses of the id (Ryckman, 2008).

Next, the phallic stage (4-5 years old) presents the conflict of aggressive or hostile

feelings towards the parent of the same sex alongside the feelings of possession and love

toward the parent of the opposite sex. The successful resolution of this stages conflict (the

Oedipus complex) denotes the emergence of the superego. Fear of punishment for the

feelings of love toward the opposite sex parent drives the child to repress desire and come to

identify with the same-sex parent (Ryckman, 2008; Swartz et al., 2016).

Finally, the genital stage (puberty and onward) is marked by the interest in the

opposite sex peaking while conflicts surrounding this stage comprise of the development of

competency in the workplace and the formation and maintaining intimate relationships

(Ryckman, 2008; Swartz et al., 2016).

The key characteristics of the psychoanalytic approach

While personality development occurs in psychosexual stages, that which drives this

development is termed instinct. Furthermore, it is divided into both life instincts (Eros) and

death instincts (Thanatos). Eros is self-serving in survival and reproduction while Thanatos

serves the destructive and aggressive urges present in human nature (Swartz et al., 2016).

Freud divided the personality into three levels, namely the unconscious, preconscious

and conscious (Ryckman, 2008; Swartz et al., 2016). The unconscious is the segment that

withholds memories, thoughts, and instincts from awareness, which had they surface would

be potentially unbearable. The preconscious is the level at which experiences and thoughts

are accessible with little effort. The conscious is the tip of the iceberg so to speak, being that

which a person is currently perceiving or is aware of (Ryckman, 2008; Swartz et al., 2016).
 Scaffolding personality are the id, ego and superego which operate to serve it in

various ways. In the unconscious realm, the id is the biological driving force beneath instincts

and operates on the pleasure principle. It demands gratification and is blind to reality (Peck &

Whitlow, 1975).

While the id cannot see, it works to resolve tension. The ego mediates the manner,

time, and place wherein this tension can be relieved and so operates on the reality principle

Swartz et al., 2016.

With that in mind, the superego acts as an internalized judge, considering and

enforcing a societally based value structure on actions taken. Conscience and ego-ideal make

up the superego, the former being the actions which constitute deserving of punishment and

the latter constituting appropriate and good behaviours worthy of praise (Schultz & Schultz,

2017).

Impact of the Psychoanalytic Approach to Counselling

Psychoanalytic theory defined a number of defence mechanisms employed by

individuals in order to cope with the anxiety that stems from an attempt to suppress the

impulses of the id (Ryckman, 2008). Employment of these defence mechanisms hampers

normal growth and the result is ineffective behaviour in daily life.

Aims of psychoanalytic therapy included the reduction of defences so as to relieve

clients of their anxieties in the service of constructive growth and proper functioning

(Ryckman, 2008). Techniques used to accomplish these goals included free association,

dream analysis and transference in order to assist clients in understanding where their

personal conflicts stem from and how these conflicts were preventing proper function

(Ryckman, 2008). Making the unconscious conscious is the bedrock of psychoanalytic

theory.
Strengths and Limitations of the psychoanalytic approach

Context is important and as a result of the sexually repressed era out of which

psychoanalytic theory emerged (Swartz et al., 2016)., there are limitations implicit in the

presumption that all aspects of personality are sexually derived in that it is far too narrow a

scope to presume the birthplace for all drives (Ewen, 2014). . Furthermore, this limitation is

particularly evident in the African context wherein sex and sexuality are still regarded as out

of bounds in the discussion.

Yet another limitation was Freud’s and thus psychoanalytical view of female

sexuality in that he regarded women as inferior creatures and, stating that due to their lack of

a penis and subsequent resolution of the Oedipus complex, that their superegos were

underdeveloped and weaker than those of males (Ewen, 2014).

Juxtaposing the aforementioned weaknesses comes the fact that psychoanalytic is far

reaching in it’s attempts to understand the human psyche. It is a comprehensive theory which

set out to explain and understand the groundwork for what is now the field of modern

psychology (Ryckman, 2008).

Yet another strength lies in the applied value of psychoanalytic theory. The

application of this theory has found wide usefulness in the treating variety of emotional

disorders. In addition to this, it has found employment by sociologists and social

psychologists as a means of exploring the dynamics and underpinnings of small group

functioning(Ryckman, 2008).
 Conclusion – 100

The value of Psychoanalytic theory cannot be understated. For everything that can be

criticised about the theory, it has formed the basis for everything that was to come after it

and there is certainly credit due. Freud’s ideas pertaining to the unconscious factors which

motivate human behaviour was revolutionary and has played an essential part in shaping

modern therapeutic intervention.

 References

Ewen, R. (2014). An introduction to theories of personality (7th ed., pp. 25-29). Psychology

Press.
Feist, J., & Feist, G. (2008). Theories of personality. 7th ed (9780073382708) MWU-
0207 (7th ed., pp. 22-69). McGraw-Hill.
Peck, D., & Whitlow, D. (1975). Approaches to personality theory (pp. 21-37). Methuen &
Co ltd.
Ryckman, R. (2008). Theories of personality (9th ed., pp. 45-49). Cengage Learning.
Schultz, D., & Schultz, S. (2017). Theories of personality (11th ed., pp. 37-42, 51-58).
Cengage Learning.
Swartz, L., de la Rey, C., Duncan, N., Townsend, L., & O'Neill, V. (2016). Psychology: An
Introduction (4th ed., pp. 116-119). Oxford University Press.