Evaluating the Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
(8 cards)
Deterministic
> adult behaviour/personality determined by childhood experiences (fixated)
no free will in who we become
personality pre-determined by forces.
+ Gives a reason for behaviour
- Doesn’t take free will into account - less likely to change, believe it isn’t their responsibility, gives an excuse for unreasonable behaviour (blame element)
Reductionist
> explains complex human behaviour in terms of the mechanics of the mind and
how we progressed through childhood.
Ignores other important influences on behaviour like genetics.
- reduces complex human behaviour, oversimplifies human behaviour
Applications
> Has been applied successfully
Freud’s ideas have influenced therapies used to treat mental disorders - psychoanalysis
dream analysis - gain insight on what is in the unconscious, people can be cured, benefits people
+Supports the assumptions of the approach
Idiographic + Nomothetic
I >emphasis on the subjective and unique experience of an individual - case studies used.
N > Tripartate personalities and psychosexual stages applies to everyone.
+ Considers both
Nature + Nurture = Interactionist
- Strength - takes both side of the debate into account
Nature - adult personality a result of innate drives
Nurture - result of childhood experiences, psychosexual stages
Unscientific
> Focuses on the unconscious ( hard to prove / difficult to falsify)
-
Reflects complexity of human behaviour
- even though deterministic
- Freud’s explanations reflect the complexity of human behaviour and experience
- Approach recognises human behaviour is influenced by multiple factors
Cannot be proven wrong
- Weakness
- Difficult to falsify
- Freud’s predictions can’t be falsified - all men have repressed homosexual tendencies - if you find men who don’t you can argue that they have them but they just repressed tham
