Evaluation of the Psychodynamic Approach

A strength

Introduced psychotherapy. Created a new form of therapy - psychoanalysis, first attempt to treat mental disorders psychologically. Had a range of techniques to access the unconscious, dream analysis. Claims to help clients by bringing their repressed emotions into their conscious mind. Helped to create modern-day therapies like counselling. Shows the value of the approach in creating treatment

Counterpoint of the strength

Psychoanalysis is regarded as inappropriate, possibly harmful for people with serious mental disorders. Some symptoms of disorders cause people to lose some contact with reality and can’t articulate their thoughts, needed for psychoanalysis. Freud’s theory may not apply to all mental health conditions

First limitation

Untestable. Popper argued that the approach doesn’t meet the scientific criterion of falsification. Not open to empirical testing. Impossible to test many of his concepts - his concepts occur at the unconscious. His ideas were based on studies of individuals, difficult to make universal claims on human behaviour. Suggests the theory was pseudoscientific rather than an established fact

Second limitation

Significant gender bias. Oedipus complex is androcentric, claims that this is irrelevant to the understanding of women. Women are seen as inferior - penis envy and can’t undergo Oedipus conflict. Women must be morally inferior - weaker identification to the mother. His ideas are criticised for being focused on men. He exaggerates the differences between them, devalues women. His ideas are influential today, seen as problematic