AO3

• Why is idiographic methods a limitation of Freud's psychodynamic approach?

  It uses idiographic methods but applies them nomothetically to large populations. freud developed an idea of the oedipus complex from a case study of a boy known as Little Hans who had a fear of horses. this is a problem as freud assumes all children will go through this complex, despite only having studied one individual ,whose experiences cannot be generalised to the whole population. So it is limited as we don't know if the theory is accurate for all individuals or only applies to little hans
• Why is gender bias a limitation of the Gender Bias?

  His views were based on observations of men, and his views about women were far less developed. freud seemed content to ignore the extent to which female sexuality differed from male sexuality and he often seemed ignorant about women and their sexual life. this has led critics such as Karen Hornery to find a feminst psychoanalysis. this is beneficial as so many psychoanalytic patients are female. A limitation of freuds theory is that it does not generalise well to women and arguably can only be applied to men.
• What evidence supports psychoanalysis as a viable approach?


  Fisher and Greenberg summarized 2500 studies supporting it
• What are the strengths of Freud's psychoanalysis?


  • Shift in psychological thinking
  • New methods of data collection
  • Long-term relief from symptoms
  • Comprehensive understanding of human behavior
• How has Freud's theory contributed to other disciplines?


  • Used in cultural and literary criticism
  • Provides insights into themes like repression and Oedipal conflict
• Why is the fact it is a comprehensive theory a strength?


  psychoanalysis has been used to understand many aspects of human behaviour, as well as being a mode of cultural and literary criticism. this has given critics a new way of gaining insight into a range of literary texts for example the hidden themes of oedipal conflict in hamlet. a strength of the theory is that it allows for the greater comprehension of human behaviour and disciplines such as literature.
• Why is its new development a strength?

  psychoanalysis represented a huge shift and advancement in psychological thinking. it suggested a new method of collecting data and it represented a move away from introspection. this has led towards the growth of psychological explanations for mental disorders and the rise of talking therapies as new treatments. psychoanalysis has been show to give long term relief symptoms. a strength is it has allowed the expansion and development of psychology