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Psychoanalytic Approach to Psychology

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What is the psychoanalytic approach to psychology? What are the founding assumptions, methods of study and areas of explanation?

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The solution discusses the psychoanalytic approach to psychology.

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PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH TO PSYCHOLOGY

This approach to Psychology was mainly developed by Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939), a doctor who specialized in neurology. Freud believed that unconscious mental causes were responsible for all psychological disorders and even the 'normal' personality.

INFLUENCES

Freud was influenced by the technology of the era (such as the steam engine). He became interested in 'hysteria' - this is the manifestation of physical symptoms with no physical causes.

ASSUMPTIONS

1) Human personality and abnormality develop from childhood

2) Unconscious processes are the major cause of behaviour (individuals have no direct awareness of these processes)

3) Psychic determinism (all that individuals say and do) has a cause, this is usually unconscious, for example 'slips of the tongue'

4) Freud thought that 'hydraulic ...

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