Social Influences on Behavior - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages The topics in Psychology can be examined in several different ways. In this paper, the concepts of human interaction will be examined from two perspectives namely: biological and psychodynamic perspective. The behaviour, the context in which the behaviours occurs, the precursors and the consequences of behaviour in terms of social psychology has been comprehensively explained within the matter of these two perspectives. Medical treatment has also been specified where necessitated. Biological Perspective To consider, the topic of psychology, one has to look at the subject of aggression. In order to understand the biological perspective, one has to look at how the brain and nervous system impact aggression. Brain and nervous system can impact aggressive behaviour in widespread ways. There are certain dopamine receptors which can augment the aggressive potential of an individual. Cognitive therapy is believed to be useful in reducing aggression. Psychodynamic Perspective The Psychodynamic perspective pioneered by Sigmund Freud is one of the most important perspectives of psychological with respect to the lay mind and is also one of the most controversial approaches of Psychology. This perspective greatly emphasizes the role of the unconscious mind, innate desires and early childhood experiences to explain human behaviour and also people who are suffering from mental illnesses (Cherry, 2003). The case given below will explain the concept of human interaction from a psychological perspective i.e. psychodynamic approach. Demographics: Name: Katharina Sex: Female Age: 18 years (assumed by Freud) Marital Status: Single Occupation: Katharina resided in an inn on the mountains, which was run by her aunt (Landlady). Later, Freud discovered that the Landlady was actually her biological mother. Location: Near Hohe Tauern situated in the Eastern Alps. Religion: Not mentioned explicitly. Race: Not mentioned explicitly. Case Presentation: Freud made an excursion to the Hohe Tauern in the Eastern Alps, where he came into an encounter with a young girl, Katharina, whom he assumed to be around 18 years of age. She was actually working at the hotel, where he was residing. Her physical appearance spoke well and he did not consider her to be a servant, but placed her as the daughter or the relative of the Landlady, who owned the inn. Katharina deduced that he was a doctor and came up to him complaining about her nerves. She said that she has been overcome with anxiety attacks, owing to an incident 2 years ago, which involved her uncle (husband of the Landlady) in a sexual encounter with another girl, Franziska, who was actually Katharina’s cousin. With some encouragement from Freud, Katharina narrated the entire incident of how she had made the discovery of her uncle engaging in sexual intercourse with her cousin, which had shaken her extremely and had become an indelible part of her memory. But it was not until Katharina telling him about two sets of stories that she had the misfortune of encountering with her uncle, did he finally manage to piece together the cause of her anxiety attacks. She recounted how her uncle had tried to make sexual passes at her prior to the Franziska incident i.e. 2 years ago. Next, she told him yet another incident, where she had found her uncle getting intimate with Franziska. After the narration, Freud asked her whether she had any understanding of what her uncle was doing to both her and her cousin, to which she replied saying no. ...Download file to see next pagesRead More