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Abstract
This paper shows that the main differences between the psychoanalytic and behavioural interpretations of conflict and anxiety are the conceptions, treatments, and perceived causes of both concepts. Broadly, evidences from this paper show that most behaviourists perceive anxiety as a product of social influences, while psychoanalysts say it is a product of psychological influences. Based on these differences, this paper shows that both groups of scientists perceive conflict and anxiety differently. Lastly, this paper shows that psychoanalysts consider conflict as a clash between the id, ego, and super-ego, while behaviourists consider the same concept as a product of environmental influences.
Introduction
Scholars often categorise theories of anxiety and conflict into groups of psychoanalytic, behavioural, phenomenological, and cognitive theories (Strongman, 1995). Their differences stem from the causes of conflict and anxiety. This paper focuses on two of the above theoretical groups of analysis – psychoanalytic and behavioural theories. Both groups are disciplines in behavioural science, but psychoanalysts mainly specialise in mental processes, as opposed to human activities and interactions (as behavioural scientists do). The structure of this paper explains how both sets of theories explain anxiety and conflict.
Anxiety
Psychoanalytical View
Psychoanalysts often borrow their concepts of anxiety from an Austrian physician, Sigmund Freud (Strongman, 1995). His views on conflict and anxiety stem from childhood influences on adult behaviours and experiences. Stated differently, Freud believes that unresolved childhood issues often explain conflict and anxiety, especially in adult years (TWP, 2014). Therefore, the psychoanalytical views of conflict and anxiety come from mental and emotional disturbances that often manifest as anxiety disorders. Freud (cited in Strongman, 1995) also believes that anxiety disorders stem from people’s inability to understand their irrational drives.
Furthermore, he says, often, such people have “defence mechanisms” in their subconscious minds that prevent them from doing so (many psychologists refer to this issue as “psychological resistance”) (Strongman, 1995). Psychological resistance often develops during a person’s childhood because human beings are “helpless” during this phase and their survival mainly depends on adults (their parents). Relative to this developmental period, Longe (2006) says,
“It is thought that this early experience of helplessness underlies the most common anxieties of adult life, including fear of powerlessness and fear of being unloved. Thus, symbolic threats can make adults anxious about their sense of competence and significant relationships, even though they are no longer helpless children” (p. 201).
Nonetheless, when people become aware of their irrational drives, they can easily overcome these psychological defences and eliminate their symptoms (anxiety). This view largely informs the psychoanalytic treatment of anxiety disorders. Overall, the psychoanalytic view of anxiety has developed many theories and models, including the psychoanalytic model, conflict theory, Freud’s theory, and cognitive theory (among others).
Behavioural View
Behaviourists often believe that anxiety is a learned behaviour and not a conflict of the conscious, or subconscious, mind, as the psychoanalytic view proposes (Rachman, 2004). Stated differently, behaviourists view anxiety as a concept, which is rooted in societal values and patterns, as opposed to developmental issues. This view mainly thrives on the social nature of human beings. It presupposes that some people could develop anxiety and conflict in the quest for social approval, or the need to feel loved. Social phobia is a common anxiety that many people associate with this view because victims develop it through their fear of embarrassment in social settings (Rachman, 2004). Prejudice is also another type of anxiety that stems from behavioural analogies.
Unrelated studies show that many people develop anxiety because of upsetting stimuli (Rachman, 2004). For example, some controversial studies show that some people could develop anxiety by seeing upsetting images in the news (TMD, 2014). Some behaviourists show the same concept by explaining how workers often develop anxiety because of their environmental and occupational environments. Relative to this observation, TMD (2014) says, “People who must live or work around sudden or loud noises, bright or flashing lights, chemical vapours, or similar nuisances, which they cannot avoid or control, may develop heightened anxiety levels” (p. 6).
Based on the above analogy, behaviourists often say the best way for managing anxiety is reducing exposure to upsetting stimuli (Rachman, 2004). Similarly, this view explains that some people develop anxiety through “generational conditioning.” For example, TMD (2014) says since anxiety disorders often exist in some families, children could develop such disorders by acquiring them from their environments. A similar ideology proposes that some people could acquire anxiety disorders biologically. For example, evidence shows that anxiety disorders are more common among identical twins, as opposed to people who do not share the same gene pool (Rachman, 2004). Broadly, the behavioural view explains anxiety through social and environmental influences.
Conflict
Psychoanalytical view
The psychoanalytical view of conflict mainly premises on the principles of the conflict theory. This theory also developed from the work of Freud. He said conflict exists from three mind agencies – id, ego, and super-ego (Nevid, 2011). The id is the unconscious mind and the prime reservoir of physical energy (it only strives to discharge and release) (TWP, 2014). It gives birth to the ego, which is the conscious part of the human mind (the ego premises on the reality principle) (Nevid, 2011). This agency includes societal perceptions on human psychology. Similarly, it influences the instincts that the id has. Based on this analysis, the id does not include external influences of human instincts. However, the ego does. The super-ego is a small part of the ego, which blocks instinctual discharge and premises on the morality principle (TWP, 2014). It often comes into conflict with the id and the super-ego. For example, external reality often conflicts with the ego. Relative to this assertion, TWP (2014) says,
“An excessive strength of instinct can damage the ego in a similar way to an excessive stimulus from the external world. It is true that the former cannot destroy it; but it can destroy its characteristic dynamic organisation and change the ego back into the id” (p. 12).
The id, ego, and super-ego often appear in Freud’s five-stage psychosexual development model. The model consists of the “oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital” (Nevid, 2011, p. 388) stages.
Behavioural View
Behaviourists view conflict as inevitable and natural (Jacobs, 2013). Although they say conflict could yield positive outcomes, they see it as a negative stimulus of human relations (Jacobs, 2013). Nonetheless, their views suggest that all people should accept and manage conflict when it arises (Jacobs, 2013). Therefore, they propose that all societies should “welcome” conflict because it is not necessarily a problem. The main underlying principle of the behavioural theory is the influence of contextual forces in predicting conflict. For example, the field theory presupposes that conflict is often a product of contextual forces (Jacobs, 2013). Stated differently, conflicts often happen within environmental or social limits. For example, a husband may show aggressive tendencies during a football game but become quiet, or passive, when he is around his family or colleagues.
Relative to this observation, Jacobs (2013) says the behavioural view “is the reality because it explains the disparity or unpredictability of behaviour, thereby producing different perspectives and increasing the likelihood of conflicts” (p. 21). Comprehensively, the behaviourist view of conflict differs from the psychoanalytical view because it conceives conflict as an environmental phenomenon, as opposed to a “conflict” of the human mind – id, ego, and super-ego.
Conclusion
This paper shows that many psychoanalysts and behaviourists have different views of conflict and anxiety. Their conceptions of anxiety, its treatment, and sources of conflict are the main differences that distinguish the two groups of theories. Behaviourists perceive anxiety as a product of social influences, while psychoanalysts perceive the same concept as a product of psychological influences. These views show how both groups of scientists conceive conflict and anxiety. They both acknowledge that the two issues are problematic to human functioning and recommend different treatment regimes, based on their conflicting views.
For example, psychoanalysts say therapists could treat anxiety disorders by helping victims to overcome their psychological barriers, while behaviourists believe that removing negative stimuli from the environment treats anxiety disorders. The same perceptual differences also spread to their conceptions of conflict. For example, this paper shows that many psychoanalysts consider conflict as a clash between the id, ego, and super-ego, while behaviourists consider conflict as a product of environmental influences. Comprehensively, these analyses show the main differences between the psychoanalytic and behaviourist interpretations of conflict and anxiety.
References
Jacobs, V. (2013). Conflict behaviours: Can personality type, culture, hierarchical status, and/or gender predict conflict behaviour? Web.
Longe, J. (2006). Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health. New York, NY: Thomson Gale. Web.
Nevid, J. (2011). Essentials of Psychology: Concepts and Applications. London, UK: Cengage Learning. Web.
Rachman, S. (2004). Anxiety. New York, NY: Psychology Press. Web.
Strongman, K. T. (1995). Theories of Anxiety. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 24(2), 4-10. Web.
TMD. (2014). Anxiety. Web.
TWP. (2014). Revolutionary Desire Classical Freudian Psychoanalysis. Web.
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