Psychology Essay: Discuss at least two assumptions of the psychodynamic approach in psychology

Discuss at least two assumptions of the psychodynamic approach in psychology

(10 marks)

4 A01 marks = describe / name the assumptions
6 A02 marks = criticise the assumptions

Note: the more assumptions you name, the more AO2 marks you can achieve by criticising.

One assumption of the psychodynamic approach is that the mind is like an iceberg (A01). For example, most of an iceberg is under water and cannot been seen. This is the same with the mind. The part of the mind that we are not aware of is called the unconscious mind, and contains forgotten childhood memories and sexual instincts (A01).

The psychodynamic approach also believes that a person is born with two instincts: Eros and Thanatos. Eros is the life and sexual instinct and Thanatos is the aggressive instinct. These are part of a person’s personality at birth and are innate (inborn) (A01). The behaviourist approach disagrees with the idea of innate behaviour such as instincts, as Skinner and Watson think that people are born a blank slate (tabula rasa) and that all behaviour is learned from the environment (A02).

The psychodynamic approach believes that people have a tripartite personality, which is made up of the id, ego and superego (A01). The behaviourist approach disagrees with this view as Skinner and Watson only study external observable behaviour that can be objectively measured. Internal behaviour, like personality, cannot be seen or measured, and therefore, according to Skinner does not exist (A02). Behaviourism also criticise the psychodynamic approach as it is unscientific and does not have any empirical evidence to support its ideas and theories (A02). Freud only has case studies (like Little Hans) as evidence for his theories and Freud has been criticised for being subjective and biased in his interpretation of the Little Hans case study, as he made the information “fit” his own theory of the Oedipus complex (A02).

Another assumption of the psychodynamic approach is that a person’s unconscious mind determines their behaviour, i.e. people have no free will (you cannot get any more A01 marks – the maximum is 4 AO1 marks). Humanism and Rogers disagree with this view because they believe that people have free will to make their own decisions in life. This is called personal agency (A02). Also, the behaviourist approach believes that a person’s environment affects their behaviour and not their unconscious mind as Freud stated. Freud ignored the importance of reinforcement and conditioning (the environment) on behaviour (A02).