The Psychodynamic Perspective

• Defining principles pt 1

  • 'Unconscious process' - many direct influences on behaviour come from a part of the mind we don't have direct awareness of, the unconscious
  • Psychodynamic conflict - different parts of the mind are in constant dynamic struggle with each other and consequences of struggle is important in understanding behaviour
• Defining principles pt 2

  • Emotional drives - Freud believed behaviour is motivated by sexual and aggressive drives. Drive creates psychic energy that will build up and create anxiety and tension if it cannot be released in some form
  • Development - personality is shaped by relationships, experience and conflict, particularly in childhood
• Concepts

  There are three levels of consciousness
• The first level of consciousness (concept)

  • At the surface is our conscious mind, consists of our current thoughts
• The second level of consciousness (concept)

  • Then the pre-conscious mind which can be accessed with relative ease by restoring memories
• The third level of consciousness (concept)

  • The lowest level is our unconscious mind which is hidden from our awareness and consists of our basic drives, instincts and repressed trauma - though we are unaware of them, they still influence behaviour and analysis of dreams can help access theses unconscious thoughts
• Free association

  • Participants are encouraged to lie down and speak aloud any thoughts that come into their head until unconscious thoughts surface
  • Tests such as Rorschach inkblot tests are also used by therapists to try and reveal a persons unconscious thoughts and drives.
• Instinctual drives

  There are two instinctual drives of the Id:

  • Eros, which is the life instinct (pleasure drive)
  • Thanatos which is the death instinct (aggressive energy)

  These drives cause a build-up of psychic energy that needs to be released
• Tripartite model of the personality

  • Id - part of the personality that is present from birth and contains our natural instinct
  • Ego - reality principle. Tries to resolve the conflict between superego and Id. Tries to navigate unrealistic desires and needs of the Id and the real world
  • Superego - contains our moral conscience and creates guilt of we break moral needs learnt from parents and society
• Strengths

  • Can be useful in explaining mental health disorders and the role of the unconscious drives and conflicts in these mental health issues developing
  • Led to therapies for individuals with mental health issues.
• Strengths pt 2

  • Often uses case studies which allows a lot of detailed info to be gathered about an individual's experience
  • Case study methods are quite holistic as they allow for lots of other factors to be discussed
• Weaknesses

  • Case study methods typically have a single participant in-depth, often with fragile, rare mental health issues which limits generalisability
  • Research is not scientific as it focuses on the unconscious mind & therefore not able to be proven right/wrong
  • Using small groups lowers reliability as its hard to establish a consistent affect
• Weaknesses pt 2

  • Approach is too deterministic (suggests we have little control over behaviour and unconscious thoughts that drive us - no room for free will)
  • Can be reductionist as it focuses on the role of unconscious thoughts and drives - does not take into account other factors e.g. biological or social influences