‘Critically discuss this statement by synthetising various arguments’ In this assignment, you are asked to critically discuss in a synthesis essay the use of psychoanalytic concepts in social psychological, with regard to the origin of these concepts: psychoanalytic clinical practice. In doing so, you will need to draw on various material from across different chapters; and 2) use the skill of synthetising in essays that you learned about in Week 25. Note that as part of this essay, you will need to ‘critically discuss’ the claim presented, and also to ‘synthesise’ material or arguments encountered.
Relevant module material
The basic material you need for answering the question comes from Book 2 Chapters 13 and 14.
First of all, you will need to define psychoanalysis and situate it historically. Then, you need to bring some examples for psychoanalytic concepts that may be used in social psychology.
You may want to focus on general concepts, such as the dynamic unconscious, on which you will find useful information in Sections 1 and 2 of Chapter 13. You can also examine or contrast the frameworks of the ‘bestial self’ and that of the ‘relational self’. However, after your general introduction of psychoanalysis, you may want to focus on more specific psychoanalytic concepts, such as individual defence processes, or even particular defence processes such as ‘splitting’ or ‘denial’. For these, Sections 3 and 4 of Chapter 14 are essential, as are Sections 2 and 3 of Chapter 13.
Second, you need to show how these concepts may be used in social psychology.
Section 3 of Chapter 13 comprises of a discussion of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict (and British university campus life), with further elaboration of the topic in Sections 2 and 4 of Chapter 14 discuss bystander behaviour.
You may also find it useful to draw on more general perspectives on the place of psychoanalysis in social psychology.
Deciding the focus of your essay
As outlined above, the essay question and relevant material allow a number of different approaches to focus on in your essay. In reviewing all the material and arguments for this assignment, you will have to think about which particular material to synthesise before you decide on the focus of the argument you are making.
Crucially, remember that you need to take a position on the question as set, and argue it systematically throughout the essay.
ALS0 YOU ARE WELCOME TO USE INDEPENDENT SOURCES FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT, BUT PLEASE MAKE SOURCE THAT THE FOCUS WILL BE ON CHAPTER 13 AND CHAPTER 14.
(The book has been attached)