psychodynamic approach

Question 1

what is the core belief?

Answer 1

all behaviour is a result of the unconscious mind

Question 2

what are the main assumptions

Answer 2

• much of our behaviour is driven by the unconscious mind
• childhood is a critical period in development
• mental disorders arise from unresolved, unconscious conflicts originating in childhood
• resolution occurs through accessing and coming to terms with repressed ideas and conflicts

Question 3

what are the psychosexual stages?

Answer 3

oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital
FREUD

Question 4

at what ages do these occur?

Answer 4

0-1, 1-5, 4-6, 6-puberty, puberty to death

Question 5

what is the oedipus complex?

Answer 5

boys develop sexual feelings towards their mothers and see their fathers as a threat. develop castration anxiety

Question 6

what is the electra complex?

Answer 6

girls develop penis envy. become attracted to their fathers and see mothers as a rival

Question 7

name 3 ego defence mechanisms

Answer 7

denial
repression
displacement

Question 8

what is the preconscious mind?

Answer 8

it contains thoughts and feelings that a person isn’t currently aware of but can be brought to consciousness

Question 9

what is the unconscious mind?

Answer 9

what we aren’t aware of in the mind but our feelings can be expressed by our behaviour

Question 10

what is the tripartite personality?

Answer 10

ID (selfish), EGO (in the middle), SUPEREGO (perfect)
Freud argues that a conflict between these can lead to mental disorders

Question 11

one strength of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 11

P: freud’s theory can be used to explain human behaviour
E: e.g. it can be used to explain a wide range of phenomena including personality development and abnormal behaviour. it draws attention to the connection between experiences in childhood.
T: this suggests that it has a positive influence on psychology

Question 12

one weakness of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 12

P: the approach is untestable
E: popper argued that the approach doesn’t meet the scientific criterion of falsification, many of Freud’s concepts are said to occur at an unconscious level making it difficult to test e.g. little hans study
T: this suggests Freud’s theory is pseudoscientific and can’t be generalised for all human behaviour.