Ch 12 Practice Test

Defense mechanisms are not exclusive to psychologically unhealthy individuals. Defense mechanisms are strategies that individuals use to cope with or protect themselves from difficult or uncomfortable situations. They can be employed by anyone, regardless of their psychological health. People may use defense mechanisms to manage stress, anxiety, or other emotions. Therefore, the statement that defense mechanisms are used only by psychologically unhealthy individuals is false.

Psychoanalysis is indeed both a theory of personality and a therapy for psychological disorders. As a theory of personality, it explores the unconscious mind, childhood experiences, and the influence of instincts and drives on behavior. As a therapy, psychoanalysis aims to bring repressed thoughts and emotions into conscious awareness, helping individuals gain insight into their unconscious conflicts and resolve them. Therefore, the statement is true.

Freud believed that the unconscious mind is the main driving force behind human behavior. He argued that our unconscious thoughts, desires, and memories influence our actions and decisions, often without us being aware of it. According to Freud, the unconscious contains repressed emotions and traumatic experiences that shape our behavior and can lead to psychological issues. By exploring and understanding the unconscious, Freud believed that individuals could gain insight into their motivations and ultimately achieve personal growth and healing.

The ego is the part of the personality that determines appropriate ways to satisfy biological urges. It operates based on the reality principle, seeking to find a balance between the demands of the id (which seeks immediate gratification) and the superego (which represents societal norms and moral values). The ego helps to mediate between these conflicting forces and find socially acceptable ways to fulfill our needs and desires.

The id is the part of the personality that is driven by the pleasure principle and seeks immediate gratification of basic needs and desires, such as hunger and thirst. It is responsible for our instinctual and impulsive behaviors, including the desire to eat, drink, and seek pleasure. The id operates on unconscious impulses and does not consider the consequences or moral implications of its actions.

Freud's stages of psychosexual development are based on the progression of a child's sexual energy through different erogenous zones. The correct answer is "oral, anal, phallic, genital." In this order, the child first experiences pleasure through oral activities such as sucking and biting, then moves on to the anal stage where they gain pleasure from controlling their bowel movements. The phallic stage follows, where children become curious about their own bodies and develop Oedipus or Electra complexes. Finally, the genital stage occurs during adolescence and adulthood, where sexual desires are focused on the opposite sex and mature sexual relationships are formed.

The superego is the part of the personality that represents a person's moral conscience and societal norms. It urges individuals to follow rules, act morally, and do what is considered right. In this situation, the superego would encourage someone to turn in the gold watch to the lost and found, as it is the morally responsible thing to do.

Matt's excessive concern with cleanliness and order suggests a fixation at the anal stage. The anal stage is the second stage of psychosexual development, according to Freud, where the focus of pleasure shifts to the anus and the child's ability to control their bladder and bowel movements. Fixation at this stage can lead to traits such as being overly organized, neat, and preoccupied with cleanliness. Matt's excessive concern with cleanliness and order aligns with the characteristics associated with fixation at the anal stage.

Freud believed that the sex instinct, also known as the libido, emerges at birth. He theorized that individuals have an innate drive for pleasure and seek to satisfy their sexual desires from the moment they are born. This instinctual energy is said to develop and change throughout different stages of life, but its initial appearance is believed to occur at birth according to Freud's psychoanalytic theory.