PSY263 An Exploration of the Internal World

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2009
Extent and Intensity
2/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Michaela Porubanová (assistant)
Mgr. Martin Krajča (assistant)
Michael Friedrich, MSc (lecturer), prof. PhDr. Zbyněk Vybíral, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Zbyněk Vybíral, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Michaela Porubanová
Timetable
Thu 14:00–15:40 AVC
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
after completing the course students should be able: -to understand main concepts in psychoanalysis -to understand how psychoanalysis works -to interpret psyche from psychoanalytical approach
Syllabus
  • 1. What is the internal world? This explores the idea of having an internal world, the way in which different theorists have thought about the idea and the potential components of the internal world. Recommended reading: Bateman, A. and Holmes, J. (1995). Introduction to Psychoanalysis, contemporary theory and practice. Chapter 2: Models of the mind, pp. 27-48. London and New York: Routledge. 2. The origins of the internal world in the child. This continues to explore what the components of the internal world might be and explores where they might be derived from, particularly within the experience of childhood. Recommended reading: Bateman, A. and Holmes, J. (1995). Introduction to Psychoanalysis, contemporary theory and practice. Chapter 3: Origins of the internal world, pp. 49-75. London and New York: Routledge. 3. Unconscious phantasy. This explores what the unconscious might be and what phantasies might inhabit it. Recommended reading: Riviere, J. (1977). The unconscious phantasy of an inner world reflected in examples from literature, pp.346-369. In Klein, M., Heimann, P. & Money-Kyrle, R.E. (eds.): New Directions in Psychoanalysis. London: Karnac. 4. Feelings. This describes the feelings which might colour the phantasies of the internal world and it explores the way in which the internal world possibly attempts to come to terms with these feelings. Recommended reading: Freud, S. (1917). Mourning and Melancholia, pp. 245-273. In On Metapsychology. London: Penguin Books. Segal, H. (1987). New Introduction, pp. vii-xi. In Klein, M. (1975). Envy and Gratitude and other works 1946-1963. London: Virago Press. 5. Mechanisms of defence This describes the ways in which we defend ourselves against some of the more difficult feelings and impressions which inhabit our internal world. Recommended reading: Bateman, A. & Holmes, J. (1995). Introduction to Psychoanalysis. Chapter 4: Mechanisms of defence, pp. 76-94. London: Routledge. 6. Why is it important to explore my internal world? This presents clinical examples which argue in favour of self knowledge. Recommended reading: Steiner, J. (1985). Turning a blind eye: The cover up for Oedipus. International Review of Psycho-Analysis, 12, 161-172. 7. The freedom of the will and parts of the self. This describes the way in which the internal world might be seen as a kind of theatre, in which the characters represent different aspects of us. It is argued that knowledge of the internal world and these different aspects can promote freedom of the will. Recommended reading: Arendt, H. (1971). The Life of the Mind. One-volume edition. Part Two: Willing. Chapter 2, part 10: Augustine, the first philosopher of the Will, pp. 84-110. San Diego, New York & London: Harcourt Brace & Company. 8. Exploring the internal world through artistic inspiration. This presents ways of exploring and expressing aspects of the internal world through artistic inspiration. Recommended reading: Milner, M. (1957). On Not Being Able to Paint. Foreword by Anna Freud, pp. xiii-xv. Chapter 1: What the eye likes, pp. 3-9. Los Angeles: J.P.Tarcher, inc. 9. Exploring the internal world through introspection and visualisation. This describes methods of exploring the internal world through introspection and visualisation. Recommended reading: Jung. C.G. (1961). Memories, Dreams, Reflection. Chapter 6: Confrontation with the unconscious, pp. 194-225. London: Collins Clear-Type press. 10. Dreams. This describes how dreams can throw light on the internal world and how dream symbolism can be understood. Recommended reading: Bateman, A. & Holmes, J. (1995). Introduction to Psychoanalysis. Chapter 6: Dreams, symbols, imagination, pp. 118-135. London: Routledge. 11. Exploring the internal world through psychotherapy. This describes the methods used in psychoanalytic therapy to explore the internal worlds. Recommended reading: Bateman, A. & Holmes, J. (1995). Introduction to Psychoanalysis. Chapter 8: The therapeutic relationship, pp. 118-135. London: Routledge. 12. The struggle towards integrity and individuation. This brings together themes of the course and describes the process of becoming more in touch with the internal world. In this way the internal world can become more integrated into everyday experience.
Literature
  • Bateman, A. and Holmes, J. (1995). Introduction to Psychoanalysis, contemporary theory and
Teaching methods
lecture and seminar, plus discussion
Assessment methods
1 final test essay on class-related topic
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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