psychodynamic perspective

Question 1

psychodynamic principles

Answer 1

• Suggests that a lot of behaviour is the result of
  unconscious thoughts which we are not aware of
• unconscious processes
• psychodynamic conflict
• emotional drives
• development

Question 2

unconscious processes

Answer 2

• many important influences on behaviour come from a part of the mind we have no direct awareness of, the unconscious

Question 3

psychodynamic conflict

Answer 3

different parts of the mind are in constant dynamic struggle with each other and the consequences of this strugle are important in understanding behaviour

Question 4

emotional drives

Answer 4

• behaviour is motivated by sexual and aggressive drives. the drive creates psychic energy that will build and create tension and anxiety if it cannot be released in some form

Question 5

development

Answer 5

• personality is shaped by relationships, experience and conflict over time, particularly during childhood.

Question 6

concepts

Answer 6

• Different levels of consciousness:
  Conscious- *immediate awareness *
  Pre-conscious- accessible memories
  Unconscious- No awareness
• Instinctual drives:
  
  • Eros: life instincts
  • Thanatos: Death instincts
• Tripartite model of personality:
  -** super ego**: internalisation of society’s rules and the values we learn from our parents.
  This part of the personality operates on the morality principle and strives for perfection, always considering whether actions are right or wrong.
  The superego can be seen as the counterbalance to the id, pushing for moral and socially acceptable behaviour.
• Ego: ego is the ‘reality check’ for the id, and it operates on the reality principle.
  It tries to fulfil the desires of the id in an acceptable and realistic way, thus requiring some acknowledgement of the external world and its rules.
  The ego uses defence mechanisms to control anxiety, like repression and denial. These mechanisms allow the ego to compromise between the id’s demands and the realities of the world without causing discomfort.
• Id: the most primitive part of the personality, present from birth.
  It is entirely unconscious and operates on the pleasure principle, pursuing immediate satisfaction to reduce tension and discomfort.
  This part of the personality is driven by sexual and aggressive instincts, often conflicting with societal norms and moral codes.
• **psychosexual stages of development: **
  Oral (0-18 months) pleasure gained through sucking and biting
  Anal (18-36 months) pleasure gained from controlling bowel movements
  Phallic Stage (3-6 years) Oedipus and Electra complexes, pleasure from phallus
  Latency Period (6-puberty) Standstill (cognitive and social development)
  Genital (puberty-adulthood) Direct libido outwards towards the opposite sex

Question 7

applications of area

Answer 7

• Psychotherapy/psychoanalysis to understand the unconscious reasons for phobias or other mental health issues so they can be treated
• Use of sport as a way of
  reducing aggressive energy through
  displacement

Question 8

strengths of psychodynamic perspective

Answer 8

• Focused on the effects that childhood experiences have on the developing personality.
• Led to other psychologists including Piaget developing theories on childhood. (Development theory)
• Takes both nature and nurture into account (Nature: ID,Ego,Super Ego/ Nurture: Parents,Childhood experiences)
• Useful - can suggest causes of mental healthdisorders and suggests reasons for behaviours
  -Can look at development of behaviour over time
  -Highlights importance of childhood experiences
  -Qualitative data collected
  -Case studies - in depth and detailed data

Question 9

weakness of psychodynamic perspective

Answer 9

• Unrepresentative samples e.g. Little Hans
• subjective methodology - open to bias
• Lacks empirical support and cannot be tested scientifically
• Ethical issues
• Unfalsifiable