Psychodynamic Perspective

Question 1

Key assumption of psychodynamic perspective?

Answer 1

Many important influences on behaviour come from a part of the brain that we cannot access, the unconscious.

Question 2

Key implication of the psychodynamic perspective?

Answer 2

The treatment of psychological disorders will involve helping the patient access their unconscious.

Question 3

One strength of the psychodynamic perspective?

Answer 3

It is very useful, it has practical applications like treating psychological disorders. For example, in thigpen and cleckleys study, hypnosis was used to access the unconscious. Therefore, it can allow for people with mental disorders to recover.

Question 4

One strength of the psychodynamic perspective?

Answer 4

It uses case studies, this means we can see change over time and collect a lot of rich and detailed data. For example, freuds study took place over 3 years and lots of qualitative data was collected in the form of letters. However, there is no quantitative data which is easy to compare and analyse.

Question 5

One weakness of the psychodynamic perspective?

Answer 5

Uses small samples, this makes research in this perspective hard to generalise. For example, both freud and thigpen and cleckleys studies had a sample size of only one participant. However, this kimd of research can prompt other research.

Question 6

One weakness of the psychodynamic perspective?

Answer 6

It can be subjective, meaning it can be open to bias. For example, in thigpen and cleckleys study, the participant spent a lot of time with the researcher. Therefore, the validity of thr study decreases because it may not measure what it sets out to measure.

Question 7

2 main studies in the psychodynamic perspective?

Answer 7

Thigpen and cleckley

Freud