Psychodynamic approach

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A2 Psychology                Joanne Murch

Approaches question

Psychodynamic approach

Henry is a man who often finds it difficult to distinguish between reality and fantasy. For example, he believes that he is better than anyone else at the job he does, and that rapid promotion will inevitably follow when other people realise it too. However, few of his colleagues believe this and they feel that Henry is not really facing up to the realities of his everyday life. How might this be explained?

(a) Describe how two approaches might try to explain Henry’s difficulty in distinguishing reality from fantasy.                                                                                (6 marks + 6 marks)

        The psychodynamic approach states that unconscious urges are revealed in symbolic form. Thus, the unconscious mind ‘leaks’ into consciousness by means of irrational behaviour, in Henry’s case he unconsciously desires a promotion, but because he consciously knows he may not get one, or others work at a higher standard and may be receiving one before himself he behaves irrationally. The irrational behaviour comes in the form of his illogical confident thoughts that everyone isn’t as good as him at his job and he thinks that it is due to other people’s foolishness that he has not yet been promoted, therefore, not placing any of the blame upon himself.

        Another explanation offered by the psychodynamic approach comes from Freud’s ideas on the structure of the personality, which is made through the development of the id, ego and super ego. The id is part of the unconscious and is the most primitive drive, which demands immediate satisfaction and is governed by the pleasure principle. The ego regulates the id, as it is part of the conscious and intellectual drives. The ego is governed by the reality principle. The super ego is the ethical and moral component that is learned from others, especially parents. It gives rise to the conscience. In terms of Henry’s irrational behaviour, his personality structure may not have been properly developed which leads to him reacting a little differently to other people who have got a completely developed id, ego and super ego. For example, his conscience development is learnt particularly parents, but Henry may have had disrupted bonds with his caregivers and so wasn’t able to learn this, therefore in his later adult life he is undeterred from acting so superior and boastful because he may not worry so much about the social consequences. Although this may seem a little far fetched psychodynamics are particularly concerned about the importance of early childhood on later behaviour. They are also influenced by the importance of the unconscious mind, and so it is possible that Henry’s ego may not have developed properly either and so his personality isn’t governed by any reality principle, and as his colleagues expressed he may not be facing up to the reality of things, he may not get promoted, others may be better than him and it may not just be that other haven’t realised his potential, he may have some blame to place upon himself. If Henry’s id isn’t controlled by the ego then he is able to ignore reality and just expresses his desires of a promotion thus more money. As the pleasure principle demands immediate satisfaction and he has been unable to satisfy this unconscious desire so far, he thinks irrationally and childishly and just blames others.

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        On the other hand, the Behaviourist approach assumes that all behaviour is learnt and so his current behaviour may not have anything to do with an underdeveloped personality. Operant conditioning may have played a key role in stamping in his irrationally confident behaviour, for example as operant conditioning is learning through consequences Henry may have been continuously rewarded similar behaviour (i.e. maybe his irrational confidence has got him many of the things he has desired through life even though others didn’t think it was possible) therefore positive reinforcement of getting what he wants has stamped the behaviour in and shaped ...

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