ipl-logo

Biological Approach Vs Psychoanalytic Approach

817 Words4 Pages

Psychology is characterised by a range of approaches which hold different beliefs of the same issue. In this essay the biological and psychoanalytic perspectives will be examined as to identify whether the two approaches are as vastly different as they appear at first glance. Through discussing prevailing themes within psychology – atomism, determinism, materialism vs dualism and nature vs nurture – relationships between key features and the perspectives may become more easily defined.
The biological perspective aims to explain behaviours using scientific reason; through examining thoughts and actions, physiological mechanisms like brain functioning (Kalat, 2016) may be attributed to various behaviours. Alongside technological advancements, …show more content…

Often, references to unconscious forces point towards the id, ego and superego - the topographical concepts often viewed as the essence of the mind. Functionally, the id acts on a pleasure instinct, it is prevented by the self-preserving ego (Bocock, 2002), whilst, the superego deciphers right and wrong according to a person’s moral standing (Freud et al, 1991).
Additionally, the approach focuses on making clinical observations to develop therapies. The case of Anna O illustrates this; through addressing her symptoms of hysteria, Breuer discovered the cathartic effect of the ‘talking cure’ (Hunt, 1993). Upon Breuer’s discovery, Freud identified that understanding hidden meanings behind symptoms, through uncovering unconscious thoughts behind behaviours (Goodwin, 2015) was imperative for developing a true cure (Hunt, 1993).
General Principles of the …show more content…

In the same way, the mind is equated to an iceberg (Glassman & Hadad, 2013) suggesting such a complex phenomenon can be explained so simply.
Both approaches are atomistic however, the biological perspective tends to limit its’ fields of research determining clear cause and effect to formulate effective treatments. Whereas, Freud has reduced complex components into overly simplified concepts which can’t be falsified, but are easily understood.
Views on determinism within the perspective are emphasised greatly with free will having no effect on biological approaches. An example of this would be the use of reflex actions; Robert Whytt found that decapitated frogs would have involuntary reflexes (Goodwin, 2015) suggesting a lack of control over our actions.
Alternately, the psychoanalytic approach bases many theories on our lack of control as a result of unconscious thoughts. However, determinism is also evident when discussing psychoanalysis; it is described as a method of giving a patient’s ego the ‘freedom to decide’ but, Hunt (1993) highlights this as an awareness of unconscious motives rather than free

Show More
Related

Sigmund Freud In A Separate Peace

2370 Words | 10 Pages

Originally from Austria, Sigmund Freud was a trained neurologist who was particularly interested in the human psyche. Over many years, Freud developed a theory to explain human behavior, what we refer to now as “Freudian Psychology.” First, he divided the mind into three levels, and used the analogy of an iceberg to help others understand it. On the surface, Freud identified the Conscious. It is here that most of our decision making and ideas are processed.

Read More

Key Elements Of The Psychodynamic Approach

461 Words | 2 Pages

The psychodynamic theory aims to treat mental health disorders by looking at the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements of a client. By using these methods, the client is able to understand their repressed fears and conflicts as they are brought into the conscious mind. The key elements of this theory include the importance of the unconscious mind and how this might influence one's behaviour and how this can be used to address mental health conditions. The theory states our behaviour is based on our past experiences, which is why tapping into the unconscious is important to understand all past experiences and repressed feelings and memories.

Read More

Essay On Psychodynamic Counselling

582 Words | 3 Pages

By examining and probing the unconscious mind, psychological conditions can be

Read More

Brave New World Psychoanalytic Analysis

2076 Words | 9 Pages

Psychoanalysis used as a literary lens provokes us to re-examine the concept of the self, the society and the law. In the ‘Brave New World’, there are many instances of psychoanalytic concepts at play. First, the concept of the unconscious mind is demonstrated very strongly through the use of hypnopædia

Read More

Compare And Contrast The Psychodynamic Perspective Of Decision-Making

1541 Words | 7 Pages

Psychodynamic Perspective as it Relates to Decision-Making The psychodynamic perspective would suggest that decision-making is largely influenced by unconscious desires. In some cases, these decisions could be developed through experiences that are a result of the psychosexual stages of development. Examining Freudian terms and mechanisms of the brain further support this perspective on the art of choosing. The Id, Ego, and Superego are all conflicting and compromising components of a human mind, according to Sigmund Freud.

Read More

Mental Health Counseling Discussion Paper

2293 Words | 10 Pages

Radical new ways of comprehending human conditions were offered by Freud (1905/1958), Rodgers (1951), Perls (1969), Skinner (1974), Ellis (Ellis & Grieger, 1977), and de Shazer (1985), to name only a few examples (Hansen, 2012). All of the fundamental principles developed by these theorists were developed from a combination of personal observaion and creative impagination (Hansen, 2012). Science was a tool used to prove the theory and determine whether the application of the theoretical perspective was authentic (Hansen,

Read More

Psychodynamic Essay

826 Words | 4 Pages

While studying, Freud discovered that the mind worked in three ways, the ego, the id, and the superego. The id is known for being the instincts part of the mind, almost like the impulse control center, that has hidden memories, and sexual and aggressive drives. The superego is a person’s moral consciousness, and the ego (or mediator,) is the middle ground before the two types of desires (Solms, 2018). The psychodynamic theory is based on a few different psychological theories, and all these theories described unresolved issues that were developed from childhood, and repressed trauma, that all get tucked away into the person’s unconscious mind (Solms,

Read More

Cognitive Approach Vs Biological Approach

673 Words | 3 Pages

There is only one approach in psychology that studies thoughts, feelings and behaviour. The biological approach believes that the way we are is due to our genetics and physiology. They believe that the activity going on our nervous system’s is what affects the way we think, feel and behave (Sammons, 2009). The physiology in the biological approach looks into how the brain functions. The brain is a very complicated machine as such, the brain is what controls our every move, every feeling and every action.

Read More

Biological And Psychodynamic Approach

636 Words | 3 Pages

The main aim of this assignment is to find out the strength and weakness, similarities and differences between the different approaches of psychology such as biological approach, behavioural approach and psychodynamic approach. I have chosen mental illness to evaluate these approach. The biological, behavioural and psychodynamic approaches of psychology are connected to the nature and nurture argument. The biological approach highly talks about nature side of the argument and states that all behaviour is biological and is treatable.

Read More

Misunderstand And Misinterpret The Unconsciousness

516 Words | 3 Pages

Elsa, SUI XINRU True statement 1: For psychoanalysis, it is possible for therapists to misunderstand and misinterpret the unconsciousness of patients. Thus psychoanalysis is not an exact and accurate therapy method. Psychoanalysis is an approach that aimed to detect the inner thoughts inside a person, namely the unconsciousness, and associated it with consciousness to treat mental disorders, meanwhile, contributed to relieving the fear and conflicts in the mind. Nonetheless, even though through certain techniques, such as free association, dream analysis, and analysis of transference, it still required therapists to interpret the abstract and symbolic thoughts of patients.

Read More

Psychoanalytic Theory: Theoretical Perspectives

3180 Words | 13 Pages

Psychoanalytic        Theoretical Views Name of theory: Psychoanalytic Theory Founder of the theory: Sigmund Freud View of human nature (include innate capacities/capabilities and motivational constructs): Sigmund Freud viewed human nature as being deterministic and influenced by both sexual energy and instincts (Corey, 2017). He further identifies that soon after birth instincts drive our desire and force internal motivations into the reality of which we live. Although unconscious desires are the driving forces of existence in the beginning, it does not remain the only force through out our lives. We begin to develop into a conscious being as we recognize the world around us. Our external world introduces the conscious mind by showing us moral code, paternal expectations, and presumptions of societal ideology.

Read More

Examples Of Psychobiography

2186 Words | 9 Pages

Greenberg (1986) believes Freud’s case studies do not place enough stress on revealing the outcome of the treatment and that Freud’s aim was more to illustrate his theoretical points (p.240). In cases, Greenberg asserts that many of the presented cases would not even be considered acceptable examples of psychoanalysis and, in short, that virtually all of the cases studies had basic shortcomings (p.240). Furthermore, many other powerful criticisms about Freud inaccurate and subsequently flawed evidence have been published. These critics contend that Freud’s evidence is flawed due to the lack of an experiment, the lack of a control group, and the lack of observations that went unrecorded (Colby, 1960, p.54).

Read More

Core Philosophy Of The Psychoanalytic Theory

986 Words | 4 Pages

The Psychoanalytic Theory represents one of the most sweeping contributions to the field of personality. This theory proposes that our childhood experiences and unconscious desires influence our behavior (Talvitie, 2012). William Ford Gibson an American-Canadian writer once wrote, "When you want to know how things really work, study them when they 're coming apart.” The Psychoanalytic theory consists mainly of using methods to bring out unconscious material that needs work on. Understanding as well as establishing that there are all sorts of forces that affect one life which attribute in making us into the individuals that we are at present.

Read More

Limitations Of Psychoanalytic Therapy

1590 Words | 7 Pages

The overabundance of clinically rooted concepts begin to put threat onto the clinical field as such excess of clinical strategies and techniques are mutually incompatible will create a nearly impossible issues in the conduction of psychoanalytic knowledge and skills. (Nunberg, NCBI, 1943) According to Nunberg, NCBI, (1943) the last 30 years; advancements in every aspect of the field in neuroscience have invalidate the basis for the earlier psychoanalytic which result to neglecting this field. Neuroscientists are not anymore troubled with mental disabilities or even organic disorders. Current evaluations of neuroscientific work approve that most of Freud original studies in this field including his works on the universal influence of non-conscious processes and the organizing function of emotions for thinking, have been discovered validity in scientific

Read More

Sigmund Freud's Theory Of Personality

1573 Words | 7 Pages

In 1923, Sigmund Freud proposed his theory that the make-up of an individual’s personality is largely governed by three fundamental components: the id, the ego, and the superego. Working through the unconscious and shaping behavior according to psychological fixations and conflicts or lack thereof, these elements evolve through five levels of psychosexual development (Freud, 1962). However, in spite of its compelling approach to the phenomenon, Freud’s structural theory of personality is riddled with limitations and as such, is subject to much criticism. The mind is layered into three states: the conscious, referring to the thoughts currently in our forefront; the preconscious, idle thoughts that can be easily accessed and brought to the conscious; and the unconscious, which houses the more instinctual drives that are repressed because it threatens the conscious’ equilibrium (Cloninger, 1996).

Read More

More about Biological Approach Vs Psychoanalytic Approach

Related Topics

Open Document