Psychodynamic theories have been criticized for their lack of empirical evidence and poor testability. Are there some of Freud's, Jung's, and Adler's ideas that would be easier to test than others? How might you go about designing research studies to test some of these ideas?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers should reveal students' understanding of various research approaches as well as several psychodynamic concepts or hypotheses. Answers should suggest plausible ways to test these concepts or hypotheses. Some starting points might include the following.

Using the interview or projective measures, you might be able to test Freud's hypothesis that sexual and aggressive drives are more often frustrated than other basic, biological drives. The same means could be used to probe for the operation of defense mechanisms. Modern longitudinal research techniques combined with sophisticated behavioral coding might yield evidence relevant to Freud's and Adler's assertions about childhood experiences molding adult personality. The presence of archetypes in the unconscious of the individual could be probed using projective techniques. If commonalties across individuals were found, then modern anthropological and archaeological techniques could be used to search for corresponding symbols in other cultures and time periods.