Approaches In Psychology - The Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

Who proposed the Psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

Sigmund Freud

Question 2

What are the different parts of the mind are there according to Freud?

Answer 2

The conscious mind -> the part of our mind that we’re aware of
The pre conscious mind -> under the surface of our conscious (contains thoughts & memories that aren’t currently in our conscious awareness but still can be accessed when desired)
The unconscious mind -> the part of the mind that we’re unaware of but still continues to have a driving force on our behaviour

Question 3

What is the tripartite personality according to Freud?

Answer 3

The ID, EGO & SUPEREGO

Question 4

What is the ID?

Answer 4

The primitive part of the mind, acts entirely selfishly & demands instant gratification throughout life

Question 5

What principle does the ID act on?

Answer 5

The pleasure principle

Question 6

When does the ID develop?

Answer 6

Present at birth

Question 7

What is the EGO?

Answer 7

The mediator and ‘reality check’ between the ID & SUPEREGO & employs defence mechanisms to help with the conflict between them

Question 8

What are the 3 defence mechanisms employed by the EGO?

Answer 8

Repression, Denial & Displacement

Question 9

What principle does the EGO work on?

Answer 9

The reality principle

Question 10

When does the EGO develop?

Answer 10

Age 2

Question 11

What is the SUPEREGO?

Answer 11

The internalised sense of right & wrong, represents the moral standards of the same sex parent & punishes the ego for wrong doing using guilt

Question 12

What principle does the SUPEREGO work on?

Answer 12

The morality principle

Question 13

What age does the SUPEREGO develop?

Answer 13

Age 5

Question 14

What are the psychosexual stages?

Answer 14

5 developmental stages that all children pass through. At each stage there is a different conflict and the outcome of which determines future development -> if i child doesnt resolve it they can be ‘stuck’ and carry certain behaviours of that stage to adulthood

Question 15

What are the 5 psychosexual stages?

Answer 15

Oral
Anal
Phallic
Latency
Genital

Question 16

When does Oral develop and what is it characterised by?

Answer 16

0-1 years, pleasure is focused at the mouth

Question 17

What age does Anal develop and what is it characterised by?

Answer 17

1-3 years, pleasure is focused at the anus

Question 18

What age does Phallic develop and what is it characterised by?

Answer 18

3-5 years, pleasure focused at genital area

Question 19

What age does Latency develop & what is it characterised by?

Answer 19

Characterised by resolving earlier conflicts (doesnt have an age attached)

Question 20

What age does Genital develop & what is it characterised by?

Answer 20

Develops during onset of puberty, sexual desires become conscious

Question 21

What are some strengths of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 21

The approach has some explanatory power -> has been used to explain a range of phenomena such as personality development or abnormal behaviour, it also draws attention to our connection with childhood experiences & later development
Practical application -> Freud brought a new form of therapy, Psychoanalysis. This has techniques that were used to access the unconscious mind e.g hypnosis which have influenced many modern say psychotherapies. However psychoanalysis has been deemed as inappropriate for patients suffering mild neuroses and can be seen as harmful for those patients

Question 22

What are some limitations of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 22

The case study method -> Freud’s theory was based on studies of single individuals e.g. Little Hans, he was criticised because of this as it is not possible to make universal generalisations of human nature based on a couple individual, as well as this Freud’s observations were very subjective as it is highly unlikely another researcher would get the same results that he observed. This means Freud’s approach lacks scientific rigour

Untestable concepts -> Popper said that the psychodynamic approach isnt scientific as it isnt open to empirical testing/able to be disproved as many concepts are said to occur in the unconscious mind (id). Due to this he regarded the psychodynamic approach as pseudoscience rather than an actual science.

Psychic determinism -> the psychodynamic approach explains all behaviour (even accidents) as determined by unconscious conflicts rooted in childhood so that any free will that we have/think we have is actually an illusion.