Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Approach

Definition

This is a psychological perspective that emphasizes the importance of unconscious mental processes and early childhood experiences in shaping behavior, thoughts, and feelings.

Related terms

Unconscious Mind:

Freud's term for the part of our psyche that stores repressed urges and primitive impulses.

Defense Mechanisms:

Psychological strategies used by the unconscious mind to manipulate or deny reality in order to protect the ego.

Free Association:

A method used in psychoanalysis where patients express their thoughts freely to reveal unconscious desires or fears.