The Psychodynamic Approach Evaluation Flashcards
Explanatory Power = Strength
Although Freud’s theory is controversial in many ways, and occasionally bizarre, it nevertheless had a huge influence on psychology & Western contemporary thought. Alongside behaviourism, the psychodynamic approach remained the dominant force in psychology for the first half of the 20th century and has been used to explain a wide range of phenomena including personality development, abnormal behaviour, moral development & gender. The approach is also significanr in drawing attention to the connection between experiences in childhood, such as our relationship with our parents, and later development.
The Case Study Method = Weakness
Freud’s theory was based on the intensive study of single individuals who were often in therapy. Although Freud’s observations were detailed & carefully recorded, critics have suggested that it is not possible to malke such universal claims about human nature based on studies of such a small number of individuals who were psychologicallt abnormal. Furthermore, Freud’s interpretations were highly subjective; it is unlikely, in the case of Little Hans for instance, that any other researcher would have drawn the same conclusions. In comparison with the other approaches, Freud’s methods lack scientifc rigour.
Untestable Concepts = Weakness
The philosopher of science Karl Popper argued that the psychodynamic approach does not meet the scientific criterion of falsification, in the sense that it is not open to empirical testing. Many of Freud’s concepts (such as the id and the Oedipus complex) are said to occur at an unconscious level, amking them difficult, if not possible, to test. According to Popper this affords psychodynamic theory the status of pseudoscience rather than real science.
Practical Application = Strength
Alongside the theoretical basis of the psychodynamic approach, Freud also brought to the world a new form of therapy: psychoanalysis. Employing a range of techniques designed to access the unconscious, such as hypnosis & dream analysis, psychoanalysis is the forerunner to many modern-day psychotherapies that have since been established. Although Freudian therapists have claimed success with many patients suffering from mild neuroses, psychoanalysis has been criticised as inappropriate, even harmful, for people suffering more serious mental disorders (such as schizophrenia).
Psychic Determinism = Weakness
Freud believed, in relation to human behaviour, that there was no such thing as an ‘accident’. Even something as apparently randon as a ‘slip of the tongue’ is driven by unconscious forces and has deep symbolic meaning. The psychodynamic approach explains all behaviour - even accidents - as determined by unconscious conflicts that are rooted in childhood such that any free will we may think we have is an ilusion.
