Psychodynamic

• Usefulness:


  Highlights childhood as critical period in development- who we are & become greatly influenced by childhood experiences. Freud's ideas greatly influenced therapies treating mental disorders. First to recognise psychological factors can explain physical symptoms e.g, paralysis. Psychoanalysis widely used to help overcome psychological problems- research evidence supports this. Can understand mental health problems e.g, mental health caused by childhood trauma &/or unconscious conflicts.
• Reflects complexity of human behaviour & experience:


  Holistic- recognises human behaviour influenced by multiple factors which can't be separated. E.g, behaviourist approach proposes recovery from mental disorder achieved through re-learning & doesn't require any consideration of what caused disorder in first place. OG symptoms may reappear. However, psychoanalysis seeks to uncover deep meanings & acknowledges understanding behaviour is lengthy process.
• Nature & nurture:


  Takes into account both. Freud claimed adult personality is product of innate drives (nature) & childhood experiences (nurture). Id instinctual & is biological aspect of personality. Id driven by Eros (life drive) & Thanatos (death drive). Influence of nurture (experience) comes in form of psychosexual stages every child passes through. Frustration or overindulgence may lead to fixation & predictable adult personality characteristics. Influence of nature (things born with) & nurture (things develop through experience). Interactionist nature of approach is key strength.
• Determinist:


  Infant behaviour determined by innate forces (libido) & adult behaviour determined by childhood experiences. No free will in who we become or how we behave. Personality is shaped (pre-determined) by forces we can't change or don't have choice about. Some people may use this as plausible excuse for behaving unreasonably or criminal behaviour. Implies people can't be held responsible for their behaviour. (We are actually able to change way we behave if we want to).
• Can't be proven wrong:


  Difficult to falsify- a good theory is one that can be tested to see if it's wrong. Popper (1934)- falsification is only way to be certain. Many of Freud's predictions are notoriously 'slippery'. E.g his view that all men have repressed homosexual tendencies can't be disproven. May find men who have none, but can be argued that they're so repressed they're not apparent so prediction can't be falsified.
• Reductionist & oversimplified:


  Mechanistic reductionism- simplifies complex human behaviour to mechanics of mind (e.g, conflict between id, ego & superego) & early childhood experience (psychosexual stages). Ignores other important influences on behaviour (e.g, biochemistry & genetics). E.g, in 50s & 60s one of main explanations for autism was distant mothers (autism was withdrawal from the lack of involvement). Oversimplification of underlying processes of autism.