The Psychodynamic Approach

The psychodynamic approach was founded by Sigmund Freud (1856--1939) and was the first major approach to attempt a comprehensive explanation of human behaviour. Freud's ideas were revolutionary: he proposed that much of our behaviour is driven by unconscious forces — desires, memories, and conflicts of which we are not consciously aware.

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The Unconscious Mind

Freud proposed that the mind operates at three levels of consciousness:

Level	Description	Example
Conscious mind	Thoughts and feelings we are currently aware of	Knowing your name; being aware you are reading
Preconscious mind	Thoughts and memories that are not currently in awareness but can be accessed if needed	Your phone number; what you had for breakfast
Unconscious mind	A vast store of biological drives, repressed memories, and traumatic experiences that influence behaviour without our awareness	Repressed childhood trauma; unacceptable desires

Freud believed the unconscious mind is the primary driver of behaviour. He used the analogy of an iceberg: the conscious mind is the small visible tip, while the vast, hidden mass below the waterline represents the unconscious.