PSYCH 2B03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Psychoanalytic Theory, Unconscious Mind, Classical Conditioning

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH 2B03
• Professor: Richard Barlow Day

Document Summary

First modern theory, and it has influence in one way or another all subsequent theories of personality in the psychodynamic mould. Freuds position on human motivation is hedonistic: he sees the individual as motivated by the desire to seek or approach pleasure, and to avoid pain or unpleasure. Freud translates hedonism into the language of biology by seeing it as operating through instincts. Libido is the source of energy associated with the eros instinct "i will please" Libido serves both sexuality and aggression: but sometimes libido is much more strongly sexual with few traces of aggression an vice versa. Id only one present at birth: translates need into drive, comprises the whole of the psyche that is present at birth. Stimulus generalization: cathexis: investment of energy creates bond/relationships between need and object (imagining pleasurable situation) Ego: helps out struggling id, has direct access to our sensory information about the outside world, mostly unconscious.