Psychodynamic Personality Theories Overview - Assignment Example

Teacher Explain how psychodynamic theories influence interpersonal relationships one example One of the most influential figures in psychology is the Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud who introduced many set of theories in interpreting the dynamics of human behaviour through his proposed theory of psychoanalysis. These theories are collectively known as psychodynamic theories which holds that the interplay of “unconscious psychological processes determines thought, feelings, and behaviour” (www.westmont.edu, nd).

The methods he proposed for exploring the unconscious include free association and dream analysis and that people have basic instinct and needs that needs to be fulfilled (www.westmont.edu, nd). Freud’s psychodynamic theories make us understand that people acts are basically motivated by their subconscious that needs to be fulfilled and that does not make them good or bad. People may be motivated more by their primal instinct (id) or the more developed ego (superego) which is regulates a person’s behaviour.

The understanding of psychodynamic theories improves our interpersonal relationships because this enables us to understand other people better and become less judgmental. By understanding these theories, we will begin to see human behaviour in a different light that instead of judging people as evil, strange or peculiar, we would be encourage instead to ask why the individual behaved or acted that way. If there needs an intervention, it would be perceived more as a help to help an individual than condemning or passing judgment which deteriorates interpersonal relationship.

For example, if we see young people who keeps on watching porn, we would not tend to pass judgement on them as immoral or sex fiend but rather as teenagers whose hormones are raging that needs to be satisfied and that watching porn is their outlet or coping mechanism for the need to be satisfied if they cannot have sex. In sum, by understanding people’s behaviour through Freud’s psychodynamic theories, we become less judgemental and tend understand people more which helps our interpersonal relationships to be better.

Reference"Psychodynamic Theory of Personality."Psychodynamic Theory of Personality. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.