-psychodynamic approach-

All psychodynamic theories stem from psychoanalysis, for Freud first developed the basic ideas which underlie the approach as a whole--particularly the idea that understanding behavior requires insight into the thoughts and feelings which motivate our actions. While the textbook deals extensively with the basic concepts of psychoanalysis, in many ways the theory is intertwined with the man. Indeed, one could argue that in no other approach has one person had such a dominating influence, not even Watson for Behaviorism, or Rogers for Humanistic Psychology. Consequently, it should not be surprising that Freud was ranked higher than any other psychologists on various lists of scientists and thinkers of the last millenium. While many other psychodynamic theories exist today, Freud still casts a long shadow, as the following resources show.

Unconscious- A reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that outside of our conscious awareness. Most of the contents of the unconscious are unacceptable or unpleasant, such as feelings of pain, anxiety, or conflict. According to Freud, the unconscious continues to influence our behavior and experience, even though we are unaware of these underlying influences.