Strength: Limitation: Strength:
Discuss the psychodynamic approach:
P- It’s the only psychological approach that P- Unconscious mind is unfalsifiable. P- Real word applications of its theory.
Introduction:
considers the role of the unconscious and how
this can affect human behaviour. E- As we can neither prove nor disprove its E- Example – Freud proposed that children
Behaviour is determined by the unconsciousness, - existence. progress through 5 psychosexual stages with
shown by iceberg analogy. Parapraxes- evidence of E- E.g. by considering the importance of the Oedipus/Electra complex occurring in the
unconscious. defence mechanisms and the tripartite E- According to behaviourist psychologists, this 3rd phallic stage during which gender is
personality, it considers the conflicts an is problematic as it’s their belief that psychology acquired.
Tripartite personality- id, ego and superego. Id and individual faces and how it tries to overcome should be studied purely objectively.
superego are in conflict, which leads to the ego using these problems. E-Little Hans – Fear of horses - castration
defence mechanisms like repression and L- Overall, the approach questions the extent to anxiety felt towards his father. Feared the
displacement. E- Better than SLT which considers only which psychology is a science and, as such, we blinkers and flaring nostrils of the horses-
conscious mental processes. must be cautious of the conclusions that we which, according to Freud, were symbolic of
Freud believed early childhood events were reach. Hans’ father. – Oedipus complex empirical
important for future adult behaviours - Fixation at L- Assuming that the unconscious mind exists evidence.
one of the psychosexual stages was used to explain therefore, this would be a more valid
adult personality behaviours e.g. anal-retentive explanation for human behaviour than other L- However, other more plausible theories
fixation: overly orderly. psychological perspectives. such as Martin and Halverson’s gender
schema theory better explain the finding that
Psychoanalysis – therapy used to treat people gender is acquired before the age of 5 as
suffering with mild neuroses. proposed by the psychosexual theory.
Psychosexual stages – oral, anal, phallic, latency and
genital.
Strength: Limitation: Conclusion:
Limitation:
P- Approach has developed treatments for P- It’s overly deterministic and offers a more The research methods of the approach lack
P- Studies such as Little Hans have been negative view of human behaviour.
anxiety disorders e.g. phobias and OCD. scientific credibility. The approach it overly
criticised for using the case study method.
deterministic and fails to consider a wider
E- E.g. dream analysis and free association are E- As it’s too focused upon the unconscious range of factors.
E- Freud tried to derive nomothetic theories mind and sees individual perpetually in state of
advantageous in that they adapt an idiographic
based upon idiographic research methods – is conflict between their life and death instincts.
approach, listening to individuals and So, an Electric approach may provide a
an issue as its difficult to generalise from such
emphasising the conflicts that they have faced better explanation for human behaviour.
studies as they’re based upon 1 individual. E- Many argue that the cognitive approach
which may be causing their psychological
problems in order to rectify these through offers a more plausible explanation of human
E- Little Hans case study had been criticised as behaviour with more appropriate treatment
therapy.
Freud never actually conversed with Hans forms available, particularly CBT which is
directly but instead communicated with Hans’ considered the best form of treatment for
E- Case study – Rat Man: showed how
father who wrote to Freud about Hans’ dreams anxiety disorders.
unconscious conflicts can lead to development of
and behaviours.
OCD and how talking through these issues and
accessing unconscious conflicts could lead to L- We must consider a wider range of factors
L- Technique doesn’t possess same scientific that might affect human behaviour rather than
improvement.
rigour associated with the biological approach. childhood conflicts alone.
L- Important as the approach focuses upon
listening to individuals and helping them.
Discuss the psychodynamic approach:
P- It’s the only psychological approach that P- Unconscious mind is unfalsifiable. P- Real word applications of its theory.
Introduction:
considers the role of the unconscious and how
this can affect human behaviour. E- As we can neither prove nor disprove its E- Example – Freud proposed that children
Behaviour is determined by the unconsciousness, - existence. progress through 5 psychosexual stages with
shown by iceberg analogy. Parapraxes- evidence of E- E.g. by considering the importance of the Oedipus/Electra complex occurring in the
unconscious. defence mechanisms and the tripartite E- According to behaviourist psychologists, this 3rd phallic stage during which gender is
personality, it considers the conflicts an is problematic as it’s their belief that psychology acquired.
Tripartite personality- id, ego and superego. Id and individual faces and how it tries to overcome should be studied purely objectively.
superego are in conflict, which leads to the ego using these problems. E-Little Hans – Fear of horses - castration
defence mechanisms like repression and L- Overall, the approach questions the extent to anxiety felt towards his father. Feared the
displacement. E- Better than SLT which considers only which psychology is a science and, as such, we blinkers and flaring nostrils of the horses-
conscious mental processes. must be cautious of the conclusions that we which, according to Freud, were symbolic of
Freud believed early childhood events were reach. Hans’ father. – Oedipus complex empirical
important for future adult behaviours - Fixation at L- Assuming that the unconscious mind exists evidence.
one of the psychosexual stages was used to explain therefore, this would be a more valid
adult personality behaviours e.g. anal-retentive explanation for human behaviour than other L- However, other more plausible theories
fixation: overly orderly. psychological perspectives. such as Martin and Halverson’s gender
schema theory better explain the finding that
Psychoanalysis – therapy used to treat people gender is acquired before the age of 5 as
suffering with mild neuroses. proposed by the psychosexual theory.
Psychosexual stages – oral, anal, phallic, latency and
genital.
Strength: Limitation: Conclusion:
Limitation:
P- Approach has developed treatments for P- It’s overly deterministic and offers a more The research methods of the approach lack
P- Studies such as Little Hans have been negative view of human behaviour.
anxiety disorders e.g. phobias and OCD. scientific credibility. The approach it overly
criticised for using the case study method.
deterministic and fails to consider a wider
E- E.g. dream analysis and free association are E- As it’s too focused upon the unconscious range of factors.
E- Freud tried to derive nomothetic theories mind and sees individual perpetually in state of
advantageous in that they adapt an idiographic
based upon idiographic research methods – is conflict between their life and death instincts.
approach, listening to individuals and So, an Electric approach may provide a
an issue as its difficult to generalise from such
emphasising the conflicts that they have faced better explanation for human behaviour.
studies as they’re based upon 1 individual. E- Many argue that the cognitive approach
which may be causing their psychological
problems in order to rectify these through offers a more plausible explanation of human
E- Little Hans case study had been criticised as behaviour with more appropriate treatment
therapy.
Freud never actually conversed with Hans forms available, particularly CBT which is
directly but instead communicated with Hans’ considered the best form of treatment for
E- Case study – Rat Man: showed how
father who wrote to Freud about Hans’ dreams anxiety disorders.
unconscious conflicts can lead to development of
and behaviours.
OCD and how talking through these issues and
accessing unconscious conflicts could lead to L- We must consider a wider range of factors
L- Technique doesn’t possess same scientific that might affect human behaviour rather than
improvement.
rigour associated with the biological approach. childhood conflicts alone.
L- Important as the approach focuses upon
listening to individuals and helping them.
