Practise Edexcel Psychology questions on psychoanalysis, including transference, object relations and psychodynamic treatment strengths and limitations.
Willow has started psychoanalysis to treat her phobia of expressing her opinion. She has an important meeting in three months' time where she needs to be able to state what she thinks.
The psychoanalyst uses free association as part of the therapy. During free association Willow accidently mentioned her father when talking about her husband. In another session Willow was talking about how she did not like her boss and then mentioned how her mother had the same colour hair as her boss.
The psychoanalyst wanted to focus on these statements, but Willow felt embarrassed about her mistakes and tried to talk about something else. She felt the mistakes were not important.
Describe free association as used in Willow's psychoanalysis.
AO2 (4 marks)
Credit up to four marks for accurate description in relation to scenario.
For example:
- Free association allows unconscious thought to become conscious,
such as Willow mentioning her father instead of her husband (1).
The ego defence mechanisms become weaker so unconscious
thoughts such as how Willow's boss reminds her of her mother
can be expressed (1). Willow's psychanalyst wanted to focus on
the mistakes Willow said as they felt that there was a deeper
meaning behind them and they would allow Willow to gain insight
into her phobia (1). Willow felt embarrassed and did not want to
talk about what she had said as her conscious was trying to
protect her from her unconscious emotions about her mother (1).
Look for other reasonable marking points.
Generic answers score 0 marks.
(4)
Explain one strength and one weakness of free association as a treatment for Willow.
(4)
Strength
Weakness
( )
AO2 (2 marks), AO3 (2 marks)
Credit one mark for accurate identification of a strength and a weakness
in relation to scenario (AO2).
Credit one mark for justification/exemplification of the strength and the
weakness (AO3).
For example:
Strength.
- Free association allows Willow's psychoanalyst to understand what
is going on in her unconscious such as how she relates her
husband with her father (1), so it allows Willow to understand the
root cause of her phobia of expressing her opinion unlike other
therapies such as systematic desensitisation (1).
Weakness.
- The use of free association can take several years before Willow
feels relaxed enough to say something she did not mean to, such
as how her boss has the same colour hair as her mother (1),
therefore as she needs to get over her phobia of expressing her
opinion in three months another therapy such as systematic
desensitisation may be better for her (1).
Look for other reasonable marking points.
Generic answers score 0 marks.
(4)