Psychodynamic Approach

In deliberate contrast to behavioural psychology, psychodynamic psychology ignores the trappings of science and instead focuses on trying to get 'inside the head' of individuals in order to make sense of their relationships, experiences and how they see the world.

The psychodynamic perspective includes all the theories in psychology that see human functioning based upon the interaction of drives and forces within the person, particularly unconscious between the different structures of the personality.

 Assumption * Our behaviour and feelings are powerfully affected by unconscious motives.
* Our behaviour and feelings as adults (including psychological problems) are rooted in our childhood experiences.
* All behaviour has a cause (usually unconscious), even slips of the tongue. Therefore all behaviour is determined.
* Personality is made up of three parts (i.e. tripartite). The id, ego and super-ego.
* Behaviour is motivated by two instinctual drives: Eros (the sex drive & life instinct) and Thanatos (the aggressive drive & death instinct). Both these drives come from the “id”.
* Parts of the unconscious mind (the id and superego) are in constant conflict with the conscious part of the mind (the ego).
* Personality is shaped as the drives are modified by different conflicts at different times in childhood (during psychosexual development).