Evaluation of psychodynamic approach

Strength: consideration in both nurture and nature

One strength of the psychodynamic approach is that it considers the influence of both nature and nurture. For example, Freud claimed that adult personality is a product of INNATE DRIVES (nature) and CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (nurture). Innate drives include the psychosexual stages that every child must pass through. In each of these stages’ frustration or overindulgence (nurture) may lead to fixation on that stage and predictable adult personality characteristics. Therefore, this is a strength because Freud’s theory is an interactionist approach which highlights the importance of nature (things we are born with) and nurture (things that develop through experience), offering a more holistic explanation to human behaviour.

Weakness: Freud theory’s are deterministic

A weakness of the psychodynamic approach is that it is DETERMINIST. Freud saw adult behaviour as being determined by childhood experiences. For example, Freud claimed that adult personality is a product of the psychosexual stages that every child must pass through. In each of these stages’ frustration or overindulgence may lead to fixation on that stage and predictable adult personality characteristics. This is a determinist viewpoint, as it sees our personality as determined by forces that we cannot change or do not have a choice about. This is a weakness because we can change the way we behave if we want to. This determinist viewpoint may give some people an excuse for their behaviour (I can’t help the way I am) or an excuse for criminal behaviour (It’s not my fault). It implies that people are not responsible for their own behaviour, or that humans have free will.

Strength: successful therapy applications

The psychodynamic approach has had very successful therapeutic applications. Freud’s research has had a major impact on understanding the link between childhood development and adult behaviour. For example, Freud was the first person to recognise that psychological factors such as childhood trauma and unconscious conflicts could be used to explain psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression. Psychoanalysis has been widely used to treat mental disorders. Therefore, this is a strength as it highlights the fact that childhood is a critical period in development and our childhood experiences greatly influence who we are and who we become, from which therapy has been developed to improve quality of life of individuals.

Weakness: not scientific

A weakness of the psychodynamic approach is that Freud and other researchers in this field evidence their theories with case studies. Case studies such as that used by Freud to evidence the psychosexual stages of development and Bowlby to evidence the maternal deprivation hypothesis, require subjective interpretation. Researcher bias is also a big risk when analysing findings from such methods. This is a weakness because this leaves open the possibility of serious misinterpretation or bias as two therapists may interpret the same evidence in entirely different ways, limiting the internal validity and reliability of the findings.