Psychodynamic Approach - EVALUATIONS Flashcards
Strength:P
critics claim ideas aren’t scientific - claims are not falsifiable or testable
E
however many of the claims have been supported by scientific, empirical evidence
E
E.g Fisher & Greenberg (1996) summarised 2500 of these studies - concluded the empirical evidence for psychoanalysis was comparable to that for other major approaches in psychology
L
Therefore psychoanalysis can be considered a viable approach in psychology as it is supported by empirical evidence
Strength:P
Psychoanalysis represented a huge shift & advancement in psychological thinking
E
Suggests a new method of collecting data (case studies) & it represented a move away from introspection towards the analysis of spoken material by a trained analyst
E
Led towards the growth of psychological explanations of mutual disorder, and the risk of talking therapies as new treatments. Psychoanalysis - shown to give long-term relief from symptoms - so this has been valuable
L
Therefore allowed the expansion & development of psychology - inc. new methods of treating individuals
Strength:P
Extremely comprehensive
E
As well as a method of explanation & treatment of disorder - it’s been used to understand mans aspect of human behaviour, as well as being a mock of cultural & literacy criticism
E
Giving critics a new way of gaining insight into a range of literacy texts e.g ‘the hidden themes of repression’ and oedipal conflict within ‘hamlet’
L
Therefore allows for greater comprehension of human behaviour within psychology - also allows comprehension in other disciplines such as literature
Criticism:P
Views based on observation of men - views on women were far less developed
E
Freud - ignored extent to which female sexuality differed from male sexuality - ignored about women and their sexual life
E
Led critics - Karen Horney - break away from traditional Freudian theory & found a feminist psychoanalysis. this was beneficial as so many psychoanalytic patients are female
L
Therefore big limitation of Freud’s theory is that it does not generalise well to women & arguably can therefore only be applied to men
Criticism:P
Sue & Sue (2008) argue that psychoanalysis is not relevant in non-western cultures
E
psychoanalysis believes that mental disorder - result of repressed material being ‘locked’ in the unconscious - freeing this material in ‘supportive environment - to dealing with it
E
Non-western cultures may not value insight as much e.g China & Japan - thought to be more beneficial to avoid thoughts which bring distress & people aren’t usually willing to discuss them openly
L
Therefore Freud’s theory can be criticised as it cannot be applied to all cultures
CASE STUDIES - PEEL PARAGRAPH
CASE STUDIES - PEEL PARAGRAPH
P
One limitation - takes a nomothetic approach to explaining behaviour - despite mainly using idiographic approach of investigation
E
Meaning Freud attempts to create general laws of behaviour on the basis of researched carried out with a small number of individuals
E
E.g Freud claimed all children experience the oedipus or electra complex during phallic psychosexual stage - BUT supported this theory with a case study based on one child called Little Hans
