...Psychodynamic & Humanistic/Existential Approaches Psychodynamic & Existential/Humanistic Theories Psychodynamic and existential/humanistic theories vary greatly in their approach, dynamic, and assumptions. The succeeding compares and contrasts the two theoretical approaches paying attention to the assumptions presented by each approach, motives for behavior, and whether the approach is deterministic or not. To gain more perspective into each approach it is essential to learn about the different theories and theorists that developed and contributed to each. The key psychodynamic theorists presented include Sigmund Freud, Alfred Adler, Carl Jung, Melanie Klein, Karen Horney, and Harry Stack-Sullivan. On the other side, the theorists that contributed to the existential/humanistic approach include Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and Rollo May. Psychodynamic Theorists and Theories The founder of the psychodynamic approach to personality and psychoanalysis was Sigmund Freud. Freud’s views were focused mainly on sex and aggression as the basis for human motivation (Feist & Feist, 2009). According to Freud there are three distinct parts of human personality; the id, the ego and the super ego. And also three levels of consciousness; unconscious, preconscious and conscious. The two sets of three coincide with the id being part of the unconscious, the ego a part of both pre-consciousness and consciousness and the super ego also a part of the unconscious. A general assumption...
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...What is the Psychodynamic approach?The Psychodynamic approach was originally developed by Sigmund Freud who was one of the most influential people of the twentieth century and his enduring legacy has influenced not one Psychology, but art, literature and even the way people bring up their children. The Psychodynamic approach is concerned with the influence of the unconscious mind – that is the mental process of which we are not consciously aware – on the feelings, thinking and behavior of the individual. It is one of the older approaches to Psychology having been developed as far back as the 1890s. Sigmund Freud developed a collection of ideas mainly on how the unconscious mind works. It holds that our early experiences of relationships with significant people such as our parents during the first five years of child development remain in the unconscious. Thus affecting the way we perceive situations in later life. Freud believed that the unconscious determines our behaviors and that we are motivated by unconscious emotional drives which are shaped by unresolved conflicts from our childhood experiences. For example, a child exposed to abuse during 1- 5 years of development will have an unstable personality compared to a child who wasn't exposed to abuse. Freud (1923) later developed a more structural model of the mind, the psychic apparatus, comprising the entities id, ego and superego which are rather hypothetical conceptualizations of important mental functions. In saying this...
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...In this approach, sleeping seems to be an important aspect for strengthening our memories. *Sleep Deprivation - This is caused by exogenous zeitgebers. Exogenous are the external influences that create an impact on our internal regulations of the body. The environmental factors disturbs circadian rhythms, for example, shift work, jet lag, age and ageing. Sleep deprivation is just the way life is for many of us. Having to miss one night of sleep may affect our mood, the way we behave, our mental well-being but sometimes we don’t even realise it. We need to sleep to be able to cognitively function: memory and recognition. *Strengths - Very scientifically proven *Weaknesses - Reductionism 2. A) Explain EITHER the Restoration Theory or Wish fulfilment...
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...PSYCHODYNAMIC APPROACH Caitie Pearce Q1. Describe the main assumptions of the psychodynamic Assumption One: The personality is comprised of three parts The id, or ‘pleasure principle’, is with us since birth. According to Freud, a new born baby is completely selfish. Its main priority is to survive. It has no room for good or bad, only pleasure or pain. Without the id, babies wouldn’t cry when they were hungry or needed attention, and people wouldn’t do things purely for enjoyment The ego, or ‘reality principle’, appears around the age of three. Children become aware of the feelings of those around them and that they can’t always have their own way. The ego is the scales of the personality; it balances the id’s need for immediate satisfaction with the expectations of society, and the superego’s need to be moral with the id’s need for pleasure. The superego, or ‘morality principle’, develops around age five. The child internalises their parents sense of morality. The superego is also responsible for the ‘ideal self’. “The ideal self (or ego-ideal) is an imaginary picture of how you ought to be, and represents career aspirations, how to treat other people, and how to behave as a member of society.” (McLeod, 2008) When a person acts in accordance with their ideal self, the superego can reward them with a feeling of pride. However, if one falls short of this expectation by giving into the demands of the id, they may experience feelings of guilt for failing. If there’s an imbalance...
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...Love Yourself to Improve Your Confidence Frame of Reference “The Psychodynamic approach can help one to understand a person’s ability to work as well as to love” (Cole, 2012). “It goes into details to explain how mental processes, such as perceptions, thoughts, and feelings that are either unconscious or conscious influence a person’s ability to participate and being satisfied with his or her occupation” (Bruce & Borg, 2002). This approach has been widely used to treat patients with mental illness. “The model has been used in a variety of different formats including long- and short-term individual work. In its short form, a problem solving approach is utilized, involving the use of “forms of feeling” to link together specific emotions, memories,...
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...The Psychodynamic approach is based on the work of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) He believed that the way a person thinks and behaves is based on the experiences they have had in the early years. He also believed that if a person goes through emotional distress it is caused by conflicts that have been unresolved since childhood and these will be buried in our unconscious mind so it is difficult to see that these play an important role in our current life. Freud said that there were 3 parts of the personality; The Id (childlike part of your personality), Ego (adult part of your personality) and Superego (parent part of your personality) These will develop differently in individuals depending on their childhood experiences. Someone who is psychologically a healthy person has a strong Ego and can balance the demands of the Id and Superego. With Ronnie, we can see that this may be proven as his experiences in his early years have been very traumatic. This may be the reason he chose a harder path in life so far and that his past has not been dealt with in a positive manner so therefore is unresolved and causing him to still be making the wrong decisions he is making. Using this theory while Ronnie is being cared for in a home has its advantages as it would give the care...
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...Discuss the psychodynamic approach to psychopathology. (12 marks) Psychopathology is the study of abnormality. Abnormality is a psychological behaviour that deviates from the norm or is harmful and distressing to those around them. The psychodynamic approach to psychopathology looks at what drives us to behave in a particular way. Freud believed that a mental disorder is caused by unresolved conflicts of childhood which are unconscious. According to Freud the human mind or psyche consists of the id, ego and superego and conflict between these cause anxiety. The id is the irrational part of our personality which uses the pleasure principle: it seeks to have fun. The ego is the conscious rational part of personality, it uses the reality principle. The superego is the moral sense of right and wrong. Conflict between the id, ego and superego create anxiety. The id demands gratification which causes conflict with the superego’s sense of right and wrong. The ego then must step in between the two to restore them to reality and then proceeds to defend itself against the anxiety caused by using ego defence mechanisms.examples of ego defence mechanisms are: repression, denial, projection etc. These are all part of the unconscious mind, here memories and information that are hard to bring into the conscious mind exist. This has a powerful effect on behaviour which frequently leads to distress because the person does not understand why they are acting a particular...
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...Evaluate the psychodynamic approach to abnormality. (6) The psychodynamic model was created by Freud (1856-1939). The core assumption of this approach is that the roots of mental disorders are psychological. They lie in the unconscious mind and are the result the failure of defence mechanisms to protect the self (or ego) from anxiety. If the superego, ego and id are out of balance then the individual is considered to be abnormal. For example, a patient who has symptoms of anxiety would be encouraged to explore his past in order to discover problems occurring during one of the psychosexual stages (oral, anal, phallic and genital). In order to deal with this problem the patient has used ego-defence mechanisms, such as repression or denial. The psychodynamic model has a number of strengths. One of these strengths are that many people with psychological disturbances do recollect childhood traumas which therefore can be resolved by this method. Also, by developing a method of treatment, Freud encouraged a more optimistic view regarding psychological distress. Mental illness could, in some cases at least, be treated. Also, this is the only approach to focus on the underlying causes of the disorders rather than the symptoms they create. This approach believes abnormality is the result of hidden things in the unconscious, and tries to uncover what is hidden. By attempting to deal with the cause, longer-lasting recovery is more possible. The weaknesses of the psychoanalytic model...
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...I believe when most people think about the different schools of psychology they may draw inaccurate conclusions and stereotyped assumptions that each will remain loyal to their chosen field of study by only using techniques associated with their discipline. In his article it is clear that Kraft approaches the healing process from a psychoanalytical point of view. However, he displays an openness and willingness to utilize any and all means necessary to assist his clients in reaching an optimal state of well-being even if this means using techniques from other disciplines. This exhibits a certain amount of flexibility on his part that is to not only be admired, but also to emulate. Kraft’s article delivers detailed accounts of how hypnosis,...
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...Psychodynamic Personality Theories “An individual's self-concept is the core of his personality. It affects every aspect of human behavior: the ability to learn, the capacity to grow and change. A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success in life” (Brothers, 2011, p. 1). Several psychologists have studied personality over the years, and with this research theories are applied. Theories have strengths and weaknesses and assist those who pursue further research regarding personality. Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic theories provide for a better understanding of the human personality and human nature. Sigmund Freud began the revolution of research and developed the first modern theory of personality. Freud’s research became a test if the future and led many others to develop their own theories some of which were empirical and some philosophical speculation. * Freud is well known for the twin cornerstones of psychoanalysis, which are sex and aggression. Freud revised his concept of personality several times because he believed that a theory should be followed up with observation. Freud based his theory on his own dreams as well as encounters with patients. The psychoanalytic theory and dynamics of personality supported the idea that “motivation is derived from psychical and physical energy that springs from their basic drives” (Feist, J., & Feist, G., 2009, p. 2). Freud used the concept of motivation to explain the driving forces that...
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...I it is based on the idea of not one size fit all. The technique applied is varied across many factors such as the nature of the client’s problem to the nature of the client itself. Some counsellor may apply behavioural approach while some may be oriented towards humanistic approach. Similarly, some may go with psychodynamics while others may find cognitive behavioral approach favorable. Hence, it is important to realize which approach or technique will best suit the client with anorexia. However, it should also be kept in mind that a particular technique may suit a particular anorexic while the same approach may not go well with another anorexic...
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...Answer any five of the following questions. 2. What is the General Adaptation Syndrome, explain with an example. Scientist Hans Selye (1907-1982) introduced the General Adaptation Syndrome model in 1936 showing in three phases what the alleged effects of stress has on the body. In his work, Selye - 'the father of stress research,' developed the theory that stress is a major cause of disease because chronic stress causes long-term chemical changes. He observed that the body would respond to any external biological source of stress with a predictable biological pattern in an attempt to restore the body’s internal homeostasis. This initial hormonal reaction is your fight or flight stress response - and its purpose is for handling stress very quickly! The process of the body’s struggle to maintain balance is what Selye termed, the General Adaptation Syndrome. Pressures, tensions, and other stressors can greatly influence your normal metabolism. Selye determined that there is a limited supply of adaptive energy to deal with stress. That amount declines with continuous exposure. Going through a series of steps, your body consistently works to regain stability. With the general adaptation syndrome, a human’s adaptive response to stress has three distinct phases: ALARM STAGE - Your first reaction to stress recognizes there’s a danger and prepares to deal with the threat, a.k.a. the fight or flight response. Activation of the HPA axis, the nervous system (SNS) and the adrenal glands...
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...Literature and Topic Review for Environmental Influences on Personality Name Institution Literature and Topic Review for Environmental Influences on Personality 1.0 Introduction What makes an individual unique is their personality. A person’s personality refers to his mental features that differentiate this person from other people. Personality comprises of all patterns of emotions and thought that cause human beings to say things and to do them in particular ways. Personality signifies the most critical parts for a person’s psychological life. To this end, personality is, therefore, organized and dynamic set of characteristics that a person possesses (Lewis, 2001). These unique features influence a person’s motivations, behaviors and his or her cognitions in various situations. Personality is psychological, though biological processes also influence our behaviors. Our thoughts, social interactions, behavior, close relationships and feeling all influence our personality. The environment influences our personality (Myers, 2004). Anything that affects a person except his or her genes is the environment. Many external factors help in shaping our personality. These external factors include the people around us and the places that we live. Our friends, family, daily experiences, and all the people whom we interact with influence our personality. However, every person has a personality that is unique to them (Simanowitz...
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...Outline and evaluate psychological explanations of depression: at least two Psychodynamic theories: * Outline : * Fixation at the oral stage (over or under gratification at the oral stage) results in dependency on caregiver and on other people. The dependant personality makes the constantly seek love and approval of others. * if the needs are not met the anger turns inwards ( later in life events like death, relationship break-up, job loss results in regression to the oral stage) results in depression. * Freud explained how, when a loved one is lost there is first a mourning period and then, after a while, life returns to normal. For some people however, the mourning period never seems to come to an end, they continue to exist in a state of permanent melancholia (depression). * Bibring psychodynamic theory states that depression is due to poor parenting. The child develops low self-esteem in contrast to the ideal self because the parents expect perfection on the child and can be critical. Evaluation: * This theory shows that early childhood experiences can affect vulnerability to depression, in later life the effects of early childhood experiences is supported by bowlby where the child attachment whether secure or insecure can affect later life relationship. * Freud’s theory is a good theory and is linked to the theory of Bowlby, insecure parent attachment. * Freud’s theory lacks falsifiability, because it cannot be operationalized and is based...
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...*Picture from Psychotherapy (2004)Personality: Psychodynamic Theories BrochureMaria Lydda GabrielPSY 405April 6, 2015Angela Snelling | | | What is Personality?“Although no single definition is acceptable to all personality theorists, we can say that personality is a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person’s behavior” (Feist & Roberts, 2013, p. 4). | | | | | | | | Psychodynamic TheoriesFreud’s Theory * There are three provinces of the mind: A. The id * The id’s sole function is to seek pleasure without regard for what is proper and just, hence, serving the pleasure. Has no contact with reality, yet it strives to constantly reduce tension by satisfying basic desires (Feist & Roberts, 2013). B. The ego * Is governed by the reality principle. It is the only province of the mind in contact with reality. * When the ego becomes anxious, it uses repression and other defense mechanisms to defend itself against this anxiety (Feist & Roberts, 2013). C. The superego * Represents the moral and ideal aspects of personality and is guided by the moralistic and idealistic principles. * Acts to control sexual and aggressive impulses through the process of repression. * It strives blindly and unrealistically toward perfection. | | | | | * Freud’s theory helped us understand the harmony and disharmony that happens in our mind. It also helped to explain...
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