Psychodynamic PEEL

Question 1

How has the psychodynamic approach been applied to the real world

Answer 1

Anxiety disorders emerge from unconscious conflict
Childhood trauma and the overuse of defence mechanisms

Psychoanalysis has had some success as a therapy but it isn’t appropriate for everyone because it requires a considerable input from patient over time and the ability to talk about and reflect on emotions

Directive therapy where the client is not in control and focuses on the present and future

Question 2

How is the psychodynamic approach deterministic

Answer 2

We cannot know the unconscious forces that drive our behaviour
Simply rationalising by our conscious mind

Question 3

How is the psychodynamic approach reductionist/holistic

Answer 3

Reduces much of our behaviour to the influence of sexual drives and biological instinct

Freud argues that personality is a dynamic interaction between the three parts of the personality and is often viewed as much more holistic

Question 4

How has the psychodynamic approach shown psychology to be a science

Answer 4

Some aspects of this approach is open to scientific investigation
there tends to be a much greater reliance on case studies and subjective interpretation

Question 5

Is the psychodynamic approach nature or nurture

Answer 5

Focuses on the nature side of human behaviour in unconscious forces and the conflict it deals with

How we cope with these is in a league way the product of our upbringing