psychodynamic

Assumptions

All behaviour is due to interactions in the tripartite personality, most of which is activity is

unconscious

Assumptions

We possess innate 'drives' (or instincts) that motivate

behaviour

Assumptions

Childhood experiences have significant importance in determining our later behaviour and

personality

Repression

Forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind

Denial

Refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality

Displacement

Transferring feelings from the true source of distressing

emotion onto a substitute target

P

Strength: Not reductionist

E

Considers nature and nurture: strong

explanatory power

E

First to link childhood experiences and adult personality (central to attachment theory, authoritarian

personality

L

So, approach has been valuable in the

development of psychology

P

Strength: real-world applications

E

Psychotherapy - used as basis for

modern talking therapies

C

However, psychotherapy/analysis is not appropriate for all disorders

(e.g. schizophrenia)

S

So, approach may not be

applicable in some cases