Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

How does the Psychodynamic approach explain behaviour?

Answer 1

• Its a balance between our instincts and how these instincts are nurtured by early experiences in the family
• explains it from the point of view of our unconscious and early childhood experinces

Question 2

Briefly outline the Psychodynamic perspective?

Answer 2

-developed by frued
-all behaviour has an unconscious cause, therefore all behaviour is determined and we have no control over the unconscious
-personality made from 3 parts
-ID: unconscious, contains labido which is unconscious sexual desires (pleasure principle)
Ego: pre/conscious, is the self and mediates between other two (reality principle)
Superego: all the consciouses, pressures the ego to control the id (morality principle)

Question 3

What causes defence mechanisms?

Answer 3

when the id’s drive comes into contact with the overbearing superego and the person feels anxiety, ego then steps in with defence mechanisms

Question 4

Whats the oedipus complex?

Answer 4

A boys attachment to their mother

Question 5

Give an explanation for the slip of the tongue?

Answer 5

verbal or memory mistake that is belived to be linked with the unconscious mind (freudian slip)

Question 6

Whats freuds explanation for dreams?

Answer 6

when awake desires and impulses are suppressed by the superego. Through dreams we can glimpse at the ID (unconscious) as our gurads are down so the unconscious has an opportunity to express itself

Question 7

Strengths of psychodynamic approach?

Answer 7

• changed societies attitudes from covering up to talking and sharing problems with others (talking cure) start of the development of counselling as a therapeutic practice
• highlights importance that unconscious plays for the first time, importance of psych factors causing abnormalities
  -developed talking cure to help abnormalities
  made the case study popular, provides in depth

Question 8

Limitations of psychodynamic approach?

Answer 8

• highly unscientific in analysis of human behaviour - subjective - impossible to test (oedipus complexnor unconscious)
• Evidence for psych approach is taken from freuds studies which are usually on one person
• case studies are hard to replicate
• ethnocentrism bias
• ecological validity lacking

Question 9

Psychodynamic is considered deterministic but why may some say its also free will?

Answer 9

Its deterministic as behaviour is caused by our unconscious which we have no control over but during therapeutic process individuals are encouraged to become aware of their unconscious.

Question 10

Similarities of psychodynamic approach with the developmental approach?

Answer 10

• Both interested in childhood and how it impacts adulthood. - - Both use longitudinal studies. - Both see development taking place through stages (oral,anal,phallic - sensory motor, pre operational, concentret operational)

Question 11

Differences between psychodynamic and developmental?

Answer 11

Develop focuses on social (aggression) and cognitive (conservation) development, whereas frued is emotional (hans)

• Develop uses a variety of methods not just case studies (experimental)
• Develop is seen as scientific and has larger samples

Question 12

How has psychodynamic helped our understanding of eveyday life?

Answer 12

• his importance on early childhood experince has helped socail work and made the parent-child bond vital so chuldren are now placed in forster homes
• led to many other theoriesd being developed psychoanalyiss and dreams and free association has led to a talking cure.