Psychodynamic AO3

• +Real life application– Led to successful treatment, i.e. psychoanalysis (includes dream analysis, free association, transference). de Maat‘s review showed significant, long lasting improvements in symptoms. Therefore it is a useful approach.
• +Evidence. Fisher and Greenburg found 2500 studies supporting defence mechanisms and role of unconscious. Therefore, parts stands up well compared to other approaches. Also, case studies.
• -Freud relied on case studies, e.g. Little Hans, Dora and the Rat Man. Although detailed, they’re his subjective interpretation. Therefore, it is not possible to make universal interpretations.
• -Psychic determinism

  Unconscious conflicts determine behaviour. No free will – extreme view.
• -Gender bias, focused on male experience e.g. Oedipus complex. Freud said he was ignorant of female sexuality. This is a problem as he treated many women. So this wasn’t appropriate.
• -Untestable concepts. Popper said it couldn’t be falsified. Can’t disprove influence of unconscious (as it is unconscious). Therefore it is pseudoscience.
• +The approach emphasises the importance of unconscious factors in determining behaviour. It draws attention to the importance of childhood experiences on later behaviour. Freud’s theory provided unique insight into human behaviour – the idea of unconscious motivation has gained widespread support.
• -Freud’s theory is largely derived from the study of adults with emotional disorders – an extremely unrepresentative sample. Freud over-emphasises the role of instincts in human behaviour.
• -Psychoanalytic therapy is difficult to evaluate – it is extremely long term and it is possible that an individual may recover of their own accord during this time. It is based on case studies and techniques that are subjective and open to bias. It is unscientific as the ideas cannot be refuted - unfalsifiable.
• -The approach is deterministic and pessimistic.