Evaluating the Psychodynamic Approach

Evaluating the Psychodynamic Approach

1. STRENGTHS

   • Nature V Nurture
     • Psychodynamic Approach = takes into account both sides of the NATURE-NURTURE debate
       • Explains HOW Nature + Nurture --> Adult personality
         • FOR EXAMPLE: Freud suggested that we have innate (nature personality structures)
           • ID
           • Ego
           • SuperEgo
           • Drive Behaviour
           • Conflict between these elements --> anxiety (nurture)
             • Repressed into Unconcious Mind
             • Depression from repressed emotional memories of a family member's death
       • Nature and Nurture contribute to Adult Behaviour
         • Freud's theory provides a framework for putting the 2 elements together
         • CONTRIBUTES TO NATURE V NURTURE DEBATE
   • Reflects the complexity of human behaviour
     • Psychodynamic approach = presents a rich account of life experiences
       • Weaving together different strands of development
         • Psychosexual development
         • Hidden Meanings
       • FOR EXAMPLE: psychoanalysis
         • Uncover deep meanings
         • Acknowledges that understanding behaviour is a lengthy process
       • Alternative methods of explaining behaviour = simpler explanations
         • Behaviourist: 'recovery from mental disorder can be achieved through re-learning'
           • Original symptoms may RE-APPEAR because the actual case has been ignored
       • Ignores Oversimplification
         • Examining root causes of behaviour

2. WEAKNESSES

   • Determinist
     • Freud saw infant behaviour determined by Innate Forces
     • Adult Behaviour determined by childhood experiences
     • FOR EXAMPLE: oral stage, libdo attatched to infants mouth
       • Psychosexual stages + Libido = Innate Forces
       • Over Indulgence or Frustration --> typical personality types
         • Oral Aggressive Behaviour
     • Implies we have no FREE WILL (choice) about who we become or how we behave
       • misrepresents human behaviour
     • May give an individual a plauisble excuse for behaving unreasonably or an excuse for criminal behaviour
   • Claims cannot be proven wrong
     • Freud's theory is DIFFICULT to FALSIFY
       • DREAM ANALYSIS or FREE ASSOCIATION
         • Therapist may argue that a client who denied having homosexual tendencies is repressing them
           • If you admit to them OR deny them there is evidence that they exist
       • A good theory = can be tested
         • POPPER (1935)
           • argued that falsification is the only way to be certain
         • Difficult to generate testable hypotheses from Freud's theory of personality
           • NOT impossible
             • Freud predicted an inverse relationship between guilt and wrongdoing

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