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A* 16 marker on psychodynamic approach
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Essay of 2 pages for the course Approaches at AQA (A* exemplary essay)
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Outline and evaluate the psychodynamic approach (16 marks)The psychodynamic approach is an approach which describes the different forces, most of which are
unconcious, that operate on the mind and direct human behaviour. The unconscious is a part of the
mind which we are unaware of, but which directs much of our behaviour. The unconscious is a vast
storehouse of biological drives and instincts that have a significant influence on our behaviour and
personality. The unconscious mind also contains threatening and disturbing memories that have
been repressed. These are accessed during dreams or through ‘slips of the tongue’, known to Freud
as paraphrases. Freud suggested that the conscious mind, which involves what we are aware of and
focus on, is merely the “tip of the iceberg”. Under surface of conscious mind is the preconscious
mind, which contains thoughts and memories which are not currently in conscious awareness, but
we can access if desired.
Freud described personality as “tripartite” which means that it is composed of 3 parts: ID, Ego and
Superego. We are all born with the ID and it is the primitive part of our personality, which is
governed by the “Pleasure Principle”. The ID houses unconscious drives of sex (libido) and
aggression. Throughout our lifetime the ID is entirely selfish, irrational and demands instant
gratification. The Ego develops during infancy (6 months) and is governed by the “Reality Principle”.
The Ego’s role is to reduce the conflict between the demands of the Id and the Superego through
employing a number of defence mechanisms such as repression, displacement and denial. The
Superego is formed at the end of the phallic stage, around age of 5 or 6 years. The Superego is
governed by the “Moral Principle”, and it controls our internalised sense of what is right and wrong.
The Superego also causes us to feel guilty for our desires and Id impulses.
Defence mechanisms are unconscious strategies that the Ego uses to manage the conflict between
Id and the Superego. These defence mechanisms may help us feel better because emotional conflict
is painful. However, they involve some form of distortion of reality and as a long-term solution they
are regarded as psychologically unhealthy and undesirable. 3 examples of defence mechanisms are
repression, denial and displacement. Repression is the exclusion of distressing memories, thoughts
or feelings from the conscious mind. Denial is the conscious refusal to perceive that painful
memories exist and displacement is redirecting your conflict onto something more available and
weaker.
Freud claims that child development occurred in 5 psychosexual stages. At each stage there is a
different conflict, the outcome of which determines future development. The first stage that was
proposed is the oral stage which occurs between 0-1 years. The focus of pleasure is the mouth. The
consequence of unresolved conflict, called fixation, in the oral stage could result in smoking, biting
nails, being sarcastic and critical. The anal stage develops around 1-3 years and the focus of pleasure
is the anus. Fixation in the anal stage could could someone to be anal retentive, meaning they may a
perfectionist and obsessive, or anal expulsive so they are thoughtless and messy. The phallic stage
develops around 3-6 years and the focus of pleasure is on the genital area. Fixation in the phallic
stage may result in a narcissistic and reckless personality. Latency is when earlier conflicts are
repressed. Finally, the genital stage is when sexual desires become unconscious alongside the onset
of puberty. Fixation in the genital stage could result in difficulty forming heterosexual relationships.
One strength of the psychodynamic approach is that it introduced the idea of psychotherapy, as
opposed to physical treatments. Freud brought to the world a new form of therapy called
psychoanalysis. This was the first attempt to treat mental disorders psychologically, rather than
physically. The new therapy employed a range of techniques designed to access the unconscious,
such as dream analysis. Psychoanalysis claims to help clients by bringing their repressed emotions
into their conscious mind so they can be dealt with. Psychoanalysis is the forerunner to modern day
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