Psychodynamic approach

Subdecks (4)

Assumptions
> Behaviour is due to unconscious motives
> It focuses on past experiences - especially the relationships with our parents and childhood conflicts in creating behaviour and personality
> Our understanding of ourselves is distorted by defence mechanisms
Psychodynamic AO3
:( Psychic determinism
> Individual is controlled by internal and external such as fixations occurring during specific stages that inevitably cause behaviour
> Neglecting the role of free will and choice the individuals have - lead to them feeling they have no control over their behaviour
> Limiting the appropriateness of using the psychosexual stages to explain human behaviour and development
Psychodynamic AO3
:) Practical applications
> Principles of the theory - behaviour is caused by the unconscious
> Lead to the treatment of psychoanalysis by dealing with conflicts hidden in the unconscious
> Important part of applied psychology
Psychodynamic approach AO3
:( Doesnt use scientific methods
> Key concepts such as the id, ego and superego cannot be objectively and empirically tested and falsified
> Cannot be observed
> Reducing the internal validity of the structure of personality, which can additionally reduce psychologys scientific status
Psychodynamic approach AO3
:( Based on case studies
> Lacks population validity
> Difficult to generalise to the population and create general laws of behaviour through the psychodynamic approach