Psychology 2301
Dr. Breeding
March 5th, 2014
Psychodynamic and Humanistic Perspectives
As we know, the study and field of Psychology has grown exponentially over the last century. In terms of studying mental processes and behavior, Psychologists now have developed several approaches or perspectives in their quests to explore the human psyche. Each approach comprises its own beliefs and dynamics, they all have a certain basis to start from and guide the psychologist, affecting his or her opinions and theories; psychodynamic, behaviorist, humanistic, cognitive, biological, evolutionary, and sociocultural are all examples of these perspectives. I personally find most interest in the psychodynamic and humanistic perspectives because of their different views on how both early development and what we as humans drive for ultimately shape our behaviors. The Psychodynamic perspective can be defined as “ a psychological model in which behavior is explained in terms of past experiences and motivational forces; actions are viewed as stemming from inherited instincts, biological drives, and attempts to resolve conflicts between personal needs and social requirements” (Gerrig 9). In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the Austrian Neurologist Sigmund Freud developed a number of theories that would greatly influence the world’s views on psychology with his ultimate focus on psychoanalysis. When dealing with patients who suffered from psychological symptoms of neurosis or hysteria, he came to a conclusion that there were hidden processes deep in the mind which subtly induced social behaviors and psychological issues. From this analysis, Freud theorized the concept of the unconscious, an intangible part of our mind that contains strong inner forces. Further, we as humans have inherited from our biological ancestry certain impulses which, if satisfied, will reduce strain and anxiety on the human being. Yet due to each of our own unique pasts and social developments, our minds can become obsessively conflicted when deciding whether or not to control these innate impulses. This led Freud to the recognition of the Id, Ego, and Superego, three parts of our unconscious that push and pull when confronted with social dilemmas; specifically, when faced with sexual and aggressive drives, these components are purported. The Id is our “animalistic” aspect, the component that seeks immediate pleasure whether in terms of our libido, hunger, or other bodily functions. The ego is the component which attempts to restrain our Id by comprehending the reality and social norms, weighing out the pros and cons of an action before committing to it. Lastly, the superego is the component which contains our internal standards and morals adopted from an early age by influential figures such as parents, forming a sort of guideline for making judgments. In overview, we can see how these components interact with one another in our daily lives. If our Id, for example, pressures us to act on our libido toward another individual we find attractive, the ego will act as the arbiter in this situation and, by pulling from the morals set by our superego, can hopefully restrain us from acting inappropriately toward the said individual. In hindsight, I find the Psychodynamic/Psychoanalysis to be the most inspiring mainly because of its focus on the human condition and the goal of discovering our unconscious and troubled pasts. Understandably, Freud and his psychoanalysis have garnered significant critique over the decades, most likely toward the idea that we are subject to uncontrollable effects of our childhoods. However, I believe there is indeed quite a lot of validity to his theories. As someone who was honestly quite overprotected and sheltered as a child, I can tell how those aspects how come to affect the anxieties I face today when in social situations. For instance, I notice how I tend to feel more uncomfortable and indecisive when faced with the
