Developmental Psychology - Case Study Example

These issues will be tied to the Freudian theories addressing repression, defense mechanisms, and division of the mind. Since this project is of a scholarly nature, only academic-quality resources were used in putting it together. The works were from academic scholars and were located utilizing an online search engine. The idea was to first develop the questionnaire, interview the mother of the child at the topic of discussion, and then to relate what was learned in the survey to the academic literature, which reflected the works of Freud and his ideas.

The first of Freud's theories that was analyzed was that of repression. According to Stevenson (1996, pg. 1), "Freud's conception of the mind is characterized by primarily by dynamism, seen in the distribution of psychic energy, the interplay between the different levels of consciousness, and the interaction between the various functions of the mind. The single function of the mind which brings together these various aspects is repression, the maintenance of what is and what isn't appropriately retained in the conscious mind.

" It is believed that the child of this discussion is experiencing the strong symptoms of repression, most likely due to the childhood loss of her little sister. Stevenson (1996, pg. . fundamental, usually unconscious function of the ego, maintains equilibrium in the individual by repressing inappropriate, unfeasible, or guilt-causing urges, memories and wishes (all usually of the id) to the level of the unconscious, where they will be out of sight, if not out of mind. The ability to repress dangerous or unsettling thoughts turns out to be vital to the individual's ability to negotiate his way through life.

" Of course, a healthy level of repression is to be expected of a child. A child who cannot repress guilty urges is doomed to a life of crime and punishment. However, if a child is overly repressed, it can seriously interfere with his or her life. One way in which it can manifest itself is in the form of anxiety, and it can be seen on the questionnaire that the child in question is experiencing anxiety and panic attacks. It can also show up in the form of repressed anger, where the child holds a grudge against someone and then suddenly explodes or is irritable, and it can be seen on the questionnaire that the child in question is having issues regarding anger and irritability (Breger, 2000; Gay, 1996; and Petocz, 1999).

The next level of Freudian theory that was examined was that of defense mechanisms. According to Stevenson (1996, pg. 1), "As a part of the never-ending interplay between the id, ego, and superego, the mind (in particular the ego) must constantly repress anxiety-causing impulses or memories. This repression, though, is often tenuous and difficult to maintain. In order to sustain this repression and fend off anxiety, often in the face of constant reminders of the repressed item, the ego additionally employs several defense mechanisms.

These mechanisms help to maintain the stability and sanity of the individual, though they sap