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Running head: PSYCHOANALYSIS VS BEHAVIORISM

Psychoanalysis vs. social behaviorism

Senior Seminar in Psychology PSY 444 Dr. Krista Bridgmon September 3, 2014

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PSYCHOANALYSIS VS BEHAVIORISM

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Psychoanalysis vs. behaviorism For centuries, individuals have attempted to understand the unique workings of the human mind. While humankind has been searching for answers and reasons since what seems like the beginning of our existence, it was not until the early theorists, such as Sigmund Freud and George Mead, that psychology became an established professional field. Two main theories that dominated psychology, and continue to influence the field, were psychoanalysis and behaviorism. In ways, these two theories are similar; but in other ways, these two theories are quite different. The theories of psychoanalysis and behaviorism have helped many understand the nature of human behavior and thought, as well as contributed to the development of different therapeutic milieus. Followers of each school of thought believe that their therapeutic methods are better than the methods of the competing school of thought. When viewed side by side, it is clear to see the pros and cons of each method, as well as the similarities and differences. Psychoanalysis As the father of psychology, Sigmund Freud founded the psychoanalytic school of thought. According to Murray, Kilgour, & Wasylkiw (2000), followers of psychoanalysis believe that individual experiences regulate the subconscious desires and emotional memories. Based on the model of psychoanalysis, awareness of experiences that fuel desires and memories could threaten their sense of wellbeing. It is the goal of psychoanalysis to understand the causes of emotional maladjustment and to discover effective treatments (Welch, 1945). Freud focused on the ego of an individual and wanted to understand psychology from an individualistic standpoint. Freud’s psychoanalytic position also focused on a deterministic ideology of human behavior and experiences. Meaning, there is an irrational and unknown force that controls the experiences

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individuals are subjected to and thus there is an irrational and unknown force that determines how an individual adjusts to life emotionally (Jones, 1980). Psychoanalysis is not just a theory and school of thought, but it is also a method of treatment. This method of treatment is more often used in the treatment of depression and anxiety, and some find it is the best way to treat those conditions (McLeod, 2007b; Slife, 2013, Chapter 6.1). According to McLeod (2007b), psychoanalysis is a form of psychotherapy that aims to expose emotions and experiences that inhibited by the psyche (id, ego, superego). The goal of psychoanalytical treatment is to make the patient aware of what might be causing the undesired behavior. The idea of understanding past experiences in relation to present behaviors is the foundation for many theories and treatments. Social Behaviorism George Mead founded social behaviorism, a variety of Jon Watson’s behaviorism theory that combines the social aspects found in Freud’s psychoanalysis and basic cognitive-behavioral theories found in Watson’s behaviorism. Unlike Freud, Mead did not focus on the conscious experiences because those experiences are unobservable by an outside force. Like Freud, Mead believed that experiences in life determine the different behavioral responses that individuals express. According to social behaviorism, these “response habits later influence personality” (Murray et al., 2000, p. 424). Unlike Freud, social behaviorism aims to understand psychology from a group standpoint indicating that “one can learn nothing by looking solely at the individual mind” (Jones, 1980, p. 4). In addition, Mead believed that the “self exists in a pragmatic relationship to its environment” and that this existence, this interaction, is observable (Jones, 1980, p. 5).

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When looking to treat an individual purely from a behaviorist’s perspective, a therapist is looking to change the observable behaviors through conditioning (McLeod, 2007a). Cognitivebehavioral therapy is one commonly used therapeutic treatment that has shown to be successful in treating panic disorders (Slife, 2013, p. 194). Social behaviorism aims to take the concept of addressing and treating unwanted behaviors by understanding the repressed experiences, from Freud’s psychoanalysis, and utilizing conditioning to correct the behaviors, from Watson’s behaviorism. Conclusion There are different schools of thought in psychology that render different treatment methods. Psychoanalysis was the starting point for many other theories and treatment methods. Freud’s theory gave the foundation of psychology through understanding behaviors in relationship to past-experiences and suppressed desires. Behaviorism, however, added the element of correcting unwanted behaviors through conditioning and understanding what previous experiences might have contributed to those actions. It is difficult to say if one school of thought is better than the other as both have contributed quite a bit to the field of psychology. However, if one were to look at the amount of contribution, it would appear that psychoanalysis, as the foundation of other theories, has contributed the most. It would be wise for any student to consider the idea that no one theory or school of thought is explicitly accurate and that all have something to share that helps individuals understand the human psyche.

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References Jones, D. R. (1980, January 1). George Herbert Mead and Sigmund Freud: A comparative study of psychoanalysis and social behaviorism. Journal of Communication Inquiry, 5(2), 3-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/019685998000500202 McLeod, S. (2007a). Behaviorist approach. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/behaviorism.html McLeod, S. (2007b). Psychoanalysis. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/psychoanalysis.html Murray, D. J., Kilgour, A. R., & Wasylkiw, L. (2000, April 1). Conflicts and mixed signals in psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and Gestalt psychology. American Psychologist, 55(4), 422-426. http://dx.doi.org/http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1037/0003066X.55.4.422 Slife, B. (2013). Taking sides: Clashing views on psychological issues (18th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Welch, L. (1945, April 1). The theoretical basis of psychotherapy: Psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and Gestalt psychology. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 15(2), 256-266. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-0025.1945.tb04939.x...