Analysis Of The Psychodynamic Approach

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Overall, the behavioural approach is highly influential and provides persuasive studies and explanations to the development of mental illnesses through learning. However, the approach is reductionist as it explains behaviour as the result of conditioning and does not take into account genetic factors. This means that it is of little value in explaining disorders such as schizophrenia (Lawton et al, 2011). Correspondingly there are many disorders that seem to be caused by abnormal levels of neurotransmitters in which a biological explanation could be more sensible than a behaviourist one. Another criticism is that most researchers used animals for research into classical and operant conditioning; this raises ethical implications of animal research. Also, there is an issue of generalising findings from one type of animal and applying them to another (Psych …show more content…
The psychoanalytic approach was Sigmund Freud's theory, he believed that behaviour comes from the unconscious mind. Freud saw that personality consists of three parts: the id that is present from birth and the selfish principle, the ego which is the reality principle and the superego which is the conscience. Freud believed that abnormal behaviour is caused by a conflict between the id and superego (McGinley et al, 2008). To deal with the conflict everyone has defence mechanisms which are used as protection from the painful and guilty feelings such as anxiety. The defence mechanisms include repression, displacement, denial and regression. Another assumption of Freud's is that childhood experiences have an effect on their mental health as an adult. Freud came up with a theory of psychosexual development which includes five stages of which all children go through. The five stages include Oral stage, Anal stage,