What Is the Psychodynamic Approach

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Describe how the Psychodynamic Approach might be used to explain aspects of John’s behaviour. As the Psychodynamic Approach focuses on behaviour and feelings being rooted in childhood, this approach would explain that the way Johns parents were with him, demanding but very distant have affected John’s behaviour towards others later on in life. John’s boss reminds him of his father and as his father was very critical towards him, he feels that his childhood experiences are being replicated at work. From his experiences in childhood they are now becoming conscious in his adulthood by the anger he is showing towards his family. How would the Biological Approach explain John’s aggressive behaviour? The biological approach would explain that Johns feeling of depressed is caused by stress he has continued to have since childhood into adult hood. Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain, and will affect his everyday behaviour to all around him, especially his family as they are the closest to him. Alcohol affects the way the brain functions and could enhance stress. What aspects of John’s behaviour would a Cognitive Psychologist be interested in? A cognitive psychologist would be interested in the cognitive distortions of John’s brain. John thinks his boss is talking about him behind his back; this is causing John irrational thoughts, also known as faulty thinking. What aspects of John’s behaviour would the Behaviourist Approach help us to understand? From a behaviourist approach, the environment in which John grew up in and is currently living in, would start to explain his behaviour. John does not want the same relationship with his boss as he did with his father (negative reinforcement), so he will try anything to impress his boss so the unpleasant feeling he felt as a child are not repeated in his adult life (operant conditioning). Behaviourists would apply

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