PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE

Question 1

Assumption

Answer 1

Views all behaviour and experience in terms of conflicts of the inner mind.
Concentrates on structure of the mind, which parts we are aware of (conscious) and unaware (unconscious).
Sees individual as being in continual conflict with various drives inside them, good mental health is achieved by resolving conflicts best they can.
Our behaviour and feelings as adults (including psychological problems) are rooted in our childhood experience.

Question 2

Psychodynamic perspective is more of an ideology than a science

Answer 2

Mainly focuses on emotion to the relative exclusion of cognition and behaviour.
Lacks verifiable and reliable scientific evidence.
Difficult to come up with testable hypotheses.

Question 3

Freud’s claim

Answer 3

Claimed we have no control over our unconscious, therefore have no free will.
Behaviour is motivated by unconscious through instinctual drives.

Question 4

Comparison of behaviourist and psychodynamic perspectives

Answer 4

Behaviourist is highly scientific, helped establish psychology as a science, psychodynamic approach is more theoretical, uses different methods.
Never been accepted as part of mainstream psychology.

Question 5

3 main assumptions of psychodynamic perspective

Answer 5

1. We are strongly influenced by structure and drives of our unconscious mind.
2. Our development is affected by early relationships.
3. Important information about unconscious can be found in how we express ourselves outwardly.

Question 6

assumption 1. We are strongly influenced by structure and drives of our unconscious mind.

Answer 6

Unconscious mind is mind we are unaware of, this perspective suggests we are constantly affected by unconscious mental processes.
Freud concluded theory that the human psyche ( our unconscious personality) is composed of 3 parts; id, ego and superego.

Question 7

assumption 2. Our development is affected by early relationships.

Answer 7

According to this perspective, our early experiences are most crucial to affecting our psychological development.
Most early experiences centre around quality of relationships with parents.
Freud claimed most important aspect of parental relationships is oedipus complex.
A badly handled oedipus complex can leave child sexually over or under confident, or with a strict or too lax sense of morality.

Question 8

assumption 3. Important information about unconscious can be found in how we express ourselves outwardly.

Answer 8

This perspective is not scientific because it focuses on unconscious mind.
Psychodynamic psychologists look for cues in dreams, therapy and slips of the tongue about what is happening in persons unconscious.

Question 9

Strength of psychodynamic perspective

Answer 9

Allows psychologists to suggest causes of mental disorders & explain wide variety of behaviours.
Is a strength because this perspective has enormous explanatory power for explaining abnormal behaviours hard to explain using other perspectives/approaches.
Highlights importance of unconscious mind as influence in our feelings and behaviour.
e.g Freud and abnormal behaviours (phobias)

Question 10

Strength of psychodynamic perspective

Answer 10

Suggests ways in which people with mental disorders can be helped.
Is a strength because this perspective has many practical applications in world of counselling, psychotherapy and psychiatry.
e.g Freud helped Hans resolve his oedipus complex by throwing hints so Hans could obtain unconscious grasp of his unconscious wishes.

Question 11

Strength of psychodynamic perspective

Answer 11

Use of case study method, especially on single individuals, great deal of data-usually qualitative.
Is a strength as they provide in depth detail of experiences, current & past.
e.g Freud analysed and explained phobias through Hans’ thoughts and feelings.

Question 12

Weakness of psychodynamic perspective

Answer 12

Methodology open to bias, not objective.
Case study method often based on studying one person in detail, evidence highly subjective, researcher bias affects.
Validity of findings threatened, makes generalisations to wider population difficult.
e.g Freud- Oedipus complex does not apply to all children

Question 13

Weakness of psychodynamic perspective

Answer 13

Based on concepts that are difficult to test and verify scientifically.
Hard to test theory of unconscious motivation.
Many of concepts central to Freud’s theories can neither be verified or falsified. (open to process of scientific testing).
Case studies not scientific, unique and cannot be replicated to see if someone else would get same result.

Question 14

Weakness of psychodynamic perspective

Answer 14

Deterministic perspective, suggests people are controlled by their conscious mind over which they have no free will.
e.g Freud- Hans’ behaviour understood in terms of unconscious motivations, not free will.

Question 15

How Freud’s study can be explained through the psychodynamic perspective

Answer 15

Psychodynamic explanation of phobias based on Freud’s idea that id impulses are repressed, anxiety then displaced onto object/situation.
Fear of his father displaced onto horses resulting in his phobia. (repressed anxieties)

Question 16

How Hancock’s study can be explained through the psychodynamic perspective

Answer 16

Study of offenders, relied on assumptions that our use of language is partially unconscious, can reveal features of our personality.
Suggestion that stylistic differences in how psychopaths use language are likely beyond conscious control- invoked idea of an unconscious element responsible for some of our behaviour.

Question 17

How Kohlberg’s study can be explained through the psychodynamic perspective

Answer 17

Makes reference to Freud’s theory of moral development when discussing background to his own work.
According to this perspective moral development depends on superego strength.
Weak superego leads to immorality because it is not able to provide suitable rewards (self esteem) for good behaviour and punishment (guilt) for bad.
Overly harsh super ego= mental disorders are results of overwhelming guilt and failure to achieve moral perfection.