B1a4 Evaluating Freud's Dream Theory

Question 1

Valid

Answer 1

Refers to findings of studies and means that they are about real-life situations, real-life behavior or feelings that are real

Question 2

Generalisable

Answer 2

Refers to findings of studies and whether they can be said to be true of people other than those that were studied

Question 3

Subjective

Answer 3

Where the researcher is somehow affecting the information that is gathered, perhaps by their interpretation

Question 4

Objective

Answer 4

Where the researcher’s views do not affect the information gathered

Question 5

Qualitative data

Answer 5

Data involving stories or attitudes

Question 6

Strengths of Freud’s theory

Answer 6

1) Uses unique methods to get hard-to-access data. Such as: dream analysis. He looked for symbols hiding in the unconcious.
2) In-depth, real-life data- Freud listened to patients very caredully over a long period of time. He only carried out analysis if he knew patients well and if they would co-operate and contribute to analysis. Data is qualitative (detailed) and came from patient (valid)

Question 7

Weaknesses of Freud’s theory

Answer 7

1) Sample is biased- Freud was Austrian from the alte 1800s working with reasonably well of Viennese families.His results are not generalisable
2) Hard to measure- Freud’s ideas are hard to test and even harder to test over and over–> so it is “not science”
3) Subjective- His interpretations of dreams could be different for another analysis, hard to call it “true”
4) The AST is an alternate theory