Psychoanalysis Techniques and Applications 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of free association in psychoanalytic treatment?
- To help the patient relax before difficult sessions
- To allow unconscious material to emerge without censorship (Correct answer)
- To practice memory recall techniques
- To establish rapport between analyst and patient
Correct answer: To allow unconscious material to emerge without censorship
Free association bypasses the ego's defenses by asking patients to verbalize all thoughts without filtering, allowing unconscious content to surface.
Question 2: In classical psychoanalysis, how frequently were patients typically seen per week?
- Once a week
- Twice a week
- Three to five times per week (Correct answer)
- Once a month
Correct answer: Three to five times per week
Freud's classical technique involved seeing patients three to five times per week to maintain the intensity needed for transference development and analysis.
Question 3: What does the analyst's 'evenly suspended attention' (gleichschwebende Aufmerksamkeit) refer to?
- Remaining emotionally distant from the patient
- Listening without pre-selecting what is important (Correct answer)
- Alternating between active and passive listening
- Focusing equally on verbal and nonverbal communication
Correct answer: Listening without pre-selecting what is important
Evenly suspended attention means the analyst listens without privileging any particular material, allowing unconscious resonance with the patient's unconscious.
Question 4: Which technique involves the analyst remaining relatively anonymous to facilitate transference projections?
- Mirroring technique
- Blank screen technique (Correct answer)
- Holding environment
- Therapeutic alliance building
Correct answer: Blank screen technique
The blank screen technique involves the analyst revealing little about their personal life so patients can more freely project their unconscious fantasies onto them.
Question 5: What is a 'parapraxis' in psychoanalytic terminology?
- A severe psychotic episode
- An error such as a slip of the tongue that reveals unconscious material (Correct answer)
- A therapeutic technique using paradoxical intervention
- A form of resistance to interpretation
Correct answer: An error such as a slip of the tongue that reveals unconscious material
A parapraxis (or Freudian slip) is an error in speech, memory, or action that is believed to reveal unconscious thoughts or wishes.
Question 6: In dream analysis, what does Freud call the storyline as remembered and reported by the dreamer?
- Latent content
- Dream work
- Manifest content (Correct answer)
- Primary process
Correct answer: Manifest content
The manifest content is the surface narrative of the dream as consciously recalled, which conceals the underlying latent content.
Question 7: What is 'working through' in psychoanalytic treatment?
- The process of terminating therapy successfully
- Repeatedly examining a conflict until insight leads to lasting change (Correct answer)
- The analyst working extra hours for a difficult patient
- Cognitive rehearsal of new behaviors
Correct answer: Repeatedly examining a conflict until insight leads to lasting change
Working through involves repeatedly revisiting unconscious conflicts from different angles until insight becomes integrated and behavioral change occurs.
Psychoanalysis Techniques and Applications 2
What is the primary purpose of free association in psychoanalytic treatment?