Evaluation of the psychodynamic approach

Question 1

Is it deterministic or free will?

Answer 1

Determinism as free will has no space in behaviour, its explained by other forces

Question 2

Why is it determinism?

Answer 2

Tripartite personality can determine personality e.g. id is most domination- psychopathic
Ego- narcissistic
Superego- neurotic
-Childhood experience, fixated at certain psychosexual stage was thought to have direct consequences on later adolescence’s and adult behaviour, so determine personality types e.g. frustration at oral leading envy and sarcasm

Question 3

Is it reduction vs holism?

Answer 3

Reduction
Explains behaviour in parts

Question 4

Why is it reduction?

Answer 4

Freud explained complex human behaviour in terms of the mechanics of the minds and how we progress through childhood e.g. freud believed that adult personality is solely influenced by innate drives focusing on battles between tripartite personalities’
-Focusing on behaviour through innate drives and childhood experiences others like genetics, biochemistry and neuroanatomy are ignored e.g. material deprivation behaviour describes deliquesce
-If it alone just described behaviour it would ignore genetics and other influential environmental factors in understanding criminal behaviour

Question 5

Applications to real life?

Answer 5

Psychoanalytical theory’s like dream analysis, hypnosis, group analysis therapy’s and free associations to treat disorders like anxiety and depression
-BPS positive effects of psychodynamic therapies in psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, ptsd and eating disorders
-Improvements in daycare and support given to new parents to encourage them to return to work, with govt schemes providing tax relief on childcare effects to economy

Question 6

Application- Briggs et al 2019?

Answer 6

Highlighted systematic reduction of suicidal behaviour and self harm for participants undergoing psychoanalytic therapies
Improves psychosocial wellbeing

Question 7

Is it idiographic or nomothetic?

Answer 7

Nomothetic
Looks at what makes things similar

Question 8

Why is it nomothemic?

Answer 8

In tripartite personality and psychosexual stages it applies to nomethemic as its applied to everyone
-Nomothetic to develop maternal deprivation

Question 9

Why could it be ideographic?

Answer 9

What makes us unique
-Subjective and unique experiences of people like little hans, anna o, dora and would an to understand unique behaviours like phobias, neuroses and hysteria which are unique

Question 10

Is it nature or nurture?

Answer 10

Both
Looks at innate social factors
Look at social factors rather than innate

Question 11

Why is it nature and nurture?

Answer 11

Freud explains persionality as a product of innate drives aknowleging the nature side as the id is present in birtg
-Nurture as our personality develops though childhood experiences in psychosexual stage. Frustration and overindulgence influence our bejaviour

Question 12

Is it scientific or unscientific?

Answer 12

Unscientific
Concept is unversitle
its unfalsifiable and methods are subject

Question 13

Why is it unscientific?

Answer 13

As it’s about the unconscious this is unfalsifiable
-Conscious mind can’t be scientifically objective and tested so its subjective viewpoint of freud
-Can’t be proven that id ego and superego don’t exist within the mind and we cannot disprove the existent’s of the stages of development so can’t be
falsifiable
-Dreams are the via regia to the unconscious which represent fulfilment of repressed wishes and desires. Although these cannot falsify this theory, dream analysis is still used in psychoanalytic therapy with reported success

Question 14

Unscientific- Popper?

Answer 14

To fully accept a theory the theory must be falsifiable to see if its wrong