a01 and a03 notes on:
The psychodynamic approach: the role of the unconscious, the structure of personality, that is Id, Ego and Superego, defence mechanisms including repression, denial and displacement, psychosexual stages.
Psychodynamic Approach (+) Individual differences in personality & behaviour are important
in this theory. This has lead to psychoanalytic therapy (talking
Psychodynamic a theory of personality (individual differences)
therapy) for mental disorders that treats the patient as an
that was developed by Sigmund Freud. It stressed the importance
individual, rather than on the basis of specific symptoms.
of the unconscious mind in driving behaviour – the thoughts we
are aware of are only the tip of the iceberg. (-)Freud’s theories have now been largely discredited – there is no
evidence for them, and the explanations cannot be falsified
- Conflicts within the unconscious mind were proposed to
(proved scientifically). Concepts like the tripartite mind or oral
explain abnormal behaviour such as mental illness.
fixation may sound plausible, but there is no proof. Anything that
- Freud’s theory of infantile sexuality proposed that infants
were born with a libido (sex drive) which processed around goes on in the unconscious is by definition inaccessible for
the body during different stages of development (oral, anal scientific testing. Additionally, psychodynamic theories are vague
and phallic stages before becoming latent). enough that any evidence can be seen to fit the theory.
- Freud believed that traumas at certain stages could lead to
(-)There is some evidence that treatments for mental illness based
fixation, which would lead to problems in adulthood
on psychoanalysis can do more harm than good e.g parents were
- The personality is tripartite. The id is the part we are born
blamed for their child’s mental illness, damaging family
with (instincts, drives and desires). The conscious ego
enables us to suppress our instincts through reason. The relationships. Psychoanalysis was the technique responsible for
superego, morals and self criticism. the false memories of Satanic ritual abuse. Biological and cognitive
- As the unconscious parts of the mind contain repressed therapies are now preferred for most patients.
traumas, the ego must be protected for a person to remain
(-)Despite developing an influential theory of childhood, Freud
sane. This is done by means of defence mechanisms.
only ever analysed one child patient, ‘Little Hans’, who he
never actually met, but only knew through a correspondence with
Non scientific theory. Methods included interviews,
his father. The reliability of his analysis of Han’s phobia of horses
patient histories, and techniques for ‘accessing the
is highly questionable.
unconscious’, such as dream analysis.
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