Describe the psychodynamic approach to explaining human behaviour. Discuss strengths
and limitations of this approach (16 marks)
The psychodynamic approach was put forward by Sigmund Freud, who described the mind
to be like an iceberg with 3 parts. The conscious level contains our thoughts & perceptions.
The preconscious level is our stored knowledge & memories. The unconscious level is
things, such as our fears, unacceptable social desires, irrational wishes & selfish needs.
Freud also suggested we have defence mechanisms. The first is denial, which states that a
problem doesn’t exist. The second is displacement, which is when we take out our impulses
on a less threatening person or object. The third mechanism is projection, which is when you
place an unacceptable impulse onto someone else. The fourth is regression, whereby you
return to a previous stage of development. The final defence mechanism is repression, in
which you put information into the unconscious.
Freud also came up with the tripartite personality. Early childhood experiences are what
forms our tripartite adult personality, and so behavioural problems seen in adults can be
traced back to our first 5 years of life. The ID is our instincts, which are entirely unconscious
and operate on our pleasure principle. The ID led to the development of the libido, which is
the most important driving force of our development. A build up of the libido can cause
tensions, whereas discharge of the libido can cause pleasure. If the ID is dominant, it can
lead to psychotic behaviours, which tend to be selfish.The Ego is largely conscious, as it
focuses on reality. It operates on the reality principle. It reduces conflict through the
previously mentioned defence mechanisms. The Ego develops around the age of 2 years
old. If the Ego is dominant, it can lead to considerate & rational behaviours, with the
individual having a sense of right & wrong. The Superego operates on the morality principle,
so it represents, largely unconscious, moral standards of the same-sex parent. The
Superego is usually formed at the age of 5 years old. If the Superego is dominant, it can lead
to neurotic behaviours, where the individual will follow rules rigidly, experiencing extreme
guilt & anxiety if they don’t.
Finally, Freud came up with the psychosexual stages. The oral stage occurs from birth to 1
year old. The libido is in the mouth, so oral activities, such as nail biting, is common,
especially if the parenting behaviour is depriving. The anal stage occurs at 1-3 years old.
The libido is focused on the anus. If the parenting behaviour is too harsh, it can lead to anal
retentive behaviour. If the parenting behaviour is too lax, it can lead to anal expulsive
behaviour. The phallic stage occurs at 3-6 years old. This is when the libido is focused on
the genitals. Within this stage is the oedipus & electra complexes. The oedipus complex is
when boys have a desire to possess their mother. This is not in conscious awareness
through repression. Therefore, the boy has hatred towards his father, which is an
unacceptable impulse, causing punishment through castration anxiety. This causes the boy
to repress his feelings for his mother & identify with his father. The electra complex is when
girls develop penis envy, and so blame their mother for castration. The girl becomes
unconsciously sexually attached to her father and so rivals her mother for her father’s
attention. Girls then get a weaker superego, as it isn’t driven by fear, so girls don’t identify as
strongly with their mother. The girls then replace their penis envy with desire for a baby.
A strength of Freud’s approach is that it was highly valuable to the development of
psychology. The psychodynamic approach remained dominant for the first half of the 20th
century, meaning that it was a leading ideology. It was revolutionary in its ideas of
and limitations of this approach (16 marks)
The psychodynamic approach was put forward by Sigmund Freud, who described the mind
to be like an iceberg with 3 parts. The conscious level contains our thoughts & perceptions.
The preconscious level is our stored knowledge & memories. The unconscious level is
things, such as our fears, unacceptable social desires, irrational wishes & selfish needs.
Freud also suggested we have defence mechanisms. The first is denial, which states that a
problem doesn’t exist. The second is displacement, which is when we take out our impulses
on a less threatening person or object. The third mechanism is projection, which is when you
place an unacceptable impulse onto someone else. The fourth is regression, whereby you
return to a previous stage of development. The final defence mechanism is repression, in
which you put information into the unconscious.
Freud also came up with the tripartite personality. Early childhood experiences are what
forms our tripartite adult personality, and so behavioural problems seen in adults can be
traced back to our first 5 years of life. The ID is our instincts, which are entirely unconscious
and operate on our pleasure principle. The ID led to the development of the libido, which is
the most important driving force of our development. A build up of the libido can cause
tensions, whereas discharge of the libido can cause pleasure. If the ID is dominant, it can
lead to psychotic behaviours, which tend to be selfish.The Ego is largely conscious, as it
focuses on reality. It operates on the reality principle. It reduces conflict through the
previously mentioned defence mechanisms. The Ego develops around the age of 2 years
old. If the Ego is dominant, it can lead to considerate & rational behaviours, with the
individual having a sense of right & wrong. The Superego operates on the morality principle,
so it represents, largely unconscious, moral standards of the same-sex parent. The
Superego is usually formed at the age of 5 years old. If the Superego is dominant, it can lead
to neurotic behaviours, where the individual will follow rules rigidly, experiencing extreme
guilt & anxiety if they don’t.
Finally, Freud came up with the psychosexual stages. The oral stage occurs from birth to 1
year old. The libido is in the mouth, so oral activities, such as nail biting, is common,
especially if the parenting behaviour is depriving. The anal stage occurs at 1-3 years old.
The libido is focused on the anus. If the parenting behaviour is too harsh, it can lead to anal
retentive behaviour. If the parenting behaviour is too lax, it can lead to anal expulsive
behaviour. The phallic stage occurs at 3-6 years old. This is when the libido is focused on
the genitals. Within this stage is the oedipus & electra complexes. The oedipus complex is
when boys have a desire to possess their mother. This is not in conscious awareness
through repression. Therefore, the boy has hatred towards his father, which is an
unacceptable impulse, causing punishment through castration anxiety. This causes the boy
to repress his feelings for his mother & identify with his father. The electra complex is when
girls develop penis envy, and so blame their mother for castration. The girl becomes
unconsciously sexually attached to her father and so rivals her mother for her father’s
attention. Girls then get a weaker superego, as it isn’t driven by fear, so girls don’t identify as
strongly with their mother. The girls then replace their penis envy with desire for a baby.
A strength of Freud’s approach is that it was highly valuable to the development of
psychology. The psychodynamic approach remained dominant for the first half of the 20th
century, meaning that it was a leading ideology. It was revolutionary in its ideas of
