Psychodynamic Approach Model Answers

Spicy Strawberry

1a) Outline two assumptions of the Psychodynamic Approach (4 marks)

One assumption of the Psychodynamic Approach (PA) is that our unconscious mind motivates our

behaviour. Freud suggested the mind was split into three parts; unconscious, pre-conscious and conscious.

The unconscious drives our behaviour, and we are never aware of what is contained in our unconscious.

Another assumption of the PA is childhood experiences affect how we are as adults. Freud said we pass

through a series of stages (psychosexual stages). If trauma or excessive pleasure occurs it is reflected in an

adult personality.

1b) Describe the Psychodynamic theory of Personality Development (8 marks)

The Psychodynamic theory assumes the personality is split into three; the id (most primitive, instinctive

part we have from birth), the ego (logical, balances out the id and superego) and the superego, the moral

part of our personality. These areas influence our behaviour, as well as the defence mechanisms of the

ego, and the psychosexual stages of development.

Defence mechanisms are used by the ego to help balance out the id and superego to make sure the person

isn’t overly impulsive and behaves in a socially acceptable way, without being overly self-conscious. If a

person’s superego majorly outweighs the ego, the person may be depressed and not feel good enough for

anything. If the person’s id outweighs, they are likely to be more aggressive and immoral as their superego

doesn’t have much control.

Defence mechanisms such as repression put bad memories into the unconscious to try to get rid of the bad

memory to help reach a balance, but depression can occur from this. Depression, anxiousness and

aggressiveness are results of imbalances of the id and superego, and the defence mechanisms work to fight

against the imbalance. Denial is another example of a defence mechanism, and this is where we refuse to

accept/admit something unpleasant/embarrassing which is occurring.

The psychosexual stages of development (oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital) also affect personality as if

someone experiences trauma, certain behaviours occur as a result (e.g. over tidiness at the anal stage).

This links back to the assumptions of the approach, where childhood experiences may have an effect on

the adult personality. People who suffer trauma during the oral stage (0-1 years old, where the id is

developed) can become excessively dependant on others and have psychological problems with food or

drink e.g. bulimia or anorexia. Trauma during the anal stage (1-3 years old, where the ego is developed)

can result in stubbornness and stinginess, whereas problems during the phallic stage (3-6 years old, where

the superego is developed) can cause a weak superego (no guilt or shame), a strong superego (excessive

guilt) or tendencies to be overly sexual.

Partial preview of the text

Download Psychodynamic Approach Model Answers | SpicyStrawberry and more Exercises Psychotherapy in PDF only on Docsity!

1a) Outline two assumptions of the Psychodynamic Approach (4 marks)

One assumption of the Psychodynamic Approach (PA) is that our unconscious mind motivates our behaviour. Freud suggested the mind was split into three parts; unconscious, pre-conscious and conscious. The unconscious drives our behaviour, and we are never aware of what is contained in our unconscious.

Another assumption of the PA is childhood experiences affect how we are as adults. Freud said we pass through a series of stages (psychosexual stages). If trauma or excessive pleasure occurs it is reflected in an adult personality.

1b) Describe the Psychodynamic theory of Personality Development (8 marks)

The Psychodynamic theory assumes the personality is split into three; the id (most primitive, instinctive part we have from birth), the ego (logical, balances out the id and superego) and the superego, the moral part of our personality. These areas influence our behaviour, as well as the defence mechanisms of the ego, and the psychosexual stages of development.

Defence mechanisms are used by the ego to help balance out the id and superego to make sure the person isn’t overly impulsive and behaves in a socially acceptable way, without being overly self-conscious. If a person’s superego majorly outweighs the ego, the person may be depressed and not feel good enough for anything. If the person’s id outweighs, they are likely to be more aggressive and immoral as their superego doesn’t have much control.

Defence mechanisms such as repression put bad memories into the unconscious to try to get rid of the bad memory to help reach a balance, but depression can occur from this. Depression, anxiousness and aggressiveness are results of imbalances of the id and superego, and the defence mechanisms work to fight against the imbalance. Denial is another example of a defence mechanism, and this is where we refuse to accept/admit something unpleasant/embarrassing which is occurring.

The psychosexual stages of development (oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital) also affect personality as if someone experiences trauma, certain behaviours occur as a result (e.g. over tidiness at the anal stage). This links back to the assumptions of the approach, where childhood experiences may have an effect on the adult personality. People who suffer trauma during the oral stage (0-1 years old, where the id is developed) can become excessively dependant on others and have psychological problems with food or drink e.g. bulimia or anorexia. Trauma during the anal stage (1-3 years old, where the ego is developed) can result in stubbornness and stinginess, whereas problems during the phallic stage (3-6 years old, where the superego is developed) can cause a weak superego (no guilt or shame), a strong superego (excessive guilt) or tendencies to be overly sexual.

2) Describe how the Psychodynamic Approach has been applied to either Dream Analysis or Free Association (12 marks)

The aim of dream analysis is to make unconscious material conscious. It is used to treat mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, and provide an explanation for it. It links back to the assumptions of the psychodynamic approach as it says that our mind and behaviour is controlled mostly by our unconscious, and if a traumatic event is experienced, memories can be repressed into the unconscious, possibly leading to mental health problems. Dream analysis is a form of therapy that enables the unconscious material accessible in order to deal with painful repressed memories and explain an individual’s depression.

Dream analysis works by a patient visiting a therapist whose job it is to listen to them and provide an explanation or theory for what they are dreaming about. The manifest content is what is remembered as soon as you wake up and is irrelevant, but the latent content is what is important because this is what is used to explain what is going on. Freud described dreams as ‘the royal road to knowledge of the activities of the unconscious mind’. There are four dream work components; symbolisation, condensation, displacement and secondary elaboration that are used as part of the explanation. Symbolisation is associating an object with someone/something else, secondary elaboration is piecing things together and sequencing them, displacement is dreaming of one person even though it really means someone else similar to them, and condensation is combining two things together.

Dream analysis has been shown to work, as Sandell conducted some research whereby over 750 patients had dream analysis and their illness became much better. Dream analysis works, but there are some things that aren’t good about it. It is very expensive as often the therapy is longitudinal – it takes a long time – making it cost more, and any theories about dreams are very subjective as one therapist could have a different suggestion/explanation to another.

3a) Evaluate two strengths of the Psychodynamic Approach (6 marks)

One strength of the Psychodynamic Approach (PA) is its practical application (psychotherapy). An example of a technique that the approach uses is dream analysis. Research has shown that psychotherapy can be successful in treating people with mental illness such as depression. For example, Sandell conducted a large scale study in Scandinavia and found that psychoanalysis is very successful in reducing the symptoms of a variety of mental illnesses.

Another strength of the PA is that it uses case studies as its methodology. Freud conducted clinical interviews with his patients. Listening to his patients and exploring their problems allowed him to develop his theories of human behaviour. For example, Little Hans helped develop his theory of the ‘Oedipus Complex’. Another advantage of case studies is that highly detailed and in-depth data (qualitative) is provided which the experimental (quantitative) method might neglect, e.g. feelings, emotions and personal experiences etc.

Psychodynamic Approach Model Answers | SpicyStrawberry, Exercises of Psychotherapy

Related documents

Partial preview of the text

Download Psychodynamic Approach Model Answers | SpicyStrawberry and more Exercises Psychotherapy in PDF only on Docsity!

Psychodynamic Approach Model Answers