Basic principles- Slide

 Basic principles
– Childhood experiences shape adult personality
– Causes & purposes of human behavior are not always obvious
but partly unconscious
– People use defense mechanisms to control anxiety or stress
• Most can adapt to challenges by using healthy ones
– E.g., sublimaAon-­‐instead of physically aggressing towards one’s boss, one
goes to the boxing gym & punches a bag, effecAvely releasing her aggression
• While others overly rely on less effecAve ones or they don’t work well
for them
– E.g., regression-­‐ A 25-­‐year old student throws a temper tantrum when he
does not receive the grade he wants
– Everything we do has meaning and purpose & is goal-­‐directed
(known as psychic determinism)
• E.g., dreams, slips of the tongue