Theories

Psychodynamic and Cognitive Theoretical Perspectives

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Psychodynamic and Cognitive Theoretical Perspectives

This attempts to present in prycis the theoretical positions and claims of the psychodynamic and cognitive perspectives which are two strong forces in explaining human behavior

The psychodynamic perspective is based on the work of Sigmund Freud . He created both a theory to explain personality and mental diss , and the form of therapy known as psychoanalysis . The psychodynamic approach assumes that all behavior and mental processes reflect constant and unconscious struggles within person

. These usually involve conflicts between our need to satisfy basic biological instincts , for example , for food , sex or aggression , and the restrictions imposed by society . Not all those who take a Psychodynamic approach accept all of Freud 's original ideas , but most would view normal or problematic behavior as the result of a failure to resolve conflicts adequately (Santrock 2000

I . The Psychodynamic concepts

A . Theory of Instincts

Libido , Narcissism , Instincts and Pleasure Reality Principles

Freud employed libido ' to denote to that force by which the sexual instinct is represented in the mind ' This concept is quite crude or raw in its form hence this refers far more than coitus . Narcissism was developed by Freud as his explanation of people who happened to have lost libido and found that in the pre-occupation of the self or the ego like in the cases of dementia praecox or schizophrenia . Persons afflicted with this mental illness appeared to have been reserved or withdrawing from other...