Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Psychodynamic Approach - Coggle Diagram
Psychodynamic Approach
The unconscious mind
Inaccessible to conscious thought. The mind tries to prevent traumatic memories from reaching conscious awareness, so to reduce anxiety defense mechanisms are used to keep them in the unconscious. Despite this, they still influence our daily life unconsciously.
Structure of personality
The id
Operates on the pleasure principle by demanding immediate gratification regardless of the circumstances. The ''devil'' in decision making. Contains the libido, a biological energy created by reproductive instincts.
The ego
Mediates between the impulsive demands of the id and the reality of the world, working based upon the reality principle. It also compromises with the superego's morality.
The superego
Operates on the morality principle - the ''angel'' in decision making. Causes feeling of guilt when rules are broken. Strives towards following all societal rules.
Defence mechanisms
Repression - unconscious blocking of unacceptable thoughts and traumatic events so that we can no longer remember them. These unconsciously influence our behaviour, even though we can't access them.
Denial - the refusal to accept reality, in order to avoid dealing with painful feeling associated with it.
Displacement - redirecting of thoughts and feelings (usually negative) to an unrelated victim or object.
If an individual is faced with a situation that they are unable to deal with rationally, their defence mechanisms may be triggered. These operate unconsciously and work by distorting reality so that anxiety is reduced. This stops individuals from consciously recognising these thoughts.
-
Evaluation
Strength - Explanatory power:
Had a big influence on psychology as it is used to explain a wide range of abnormal development and gender development. It also is good at making connections between childhood experiences and adult life.
Weakness - Methodology:
Use of case studies in his research makes his theories not generalisable to the general population as it is only based upon that one person. Also, they were psychologically abnormal so not the norm.
Weakness - Subjective
Everything was based on Freud's interpretation of events, so other people may interpretate it differently. This means it is not reliable.