A key criticism of the psychodynamic approach noted in the evaluation is that its concepts are untestable and it relies on which type of data?

• A. It relied on case studies
• B. It used large-scale experiments
• C. It relied on cross-cultural surveys
• D. It relied on animal studies

Answer: (A)

Case-study data are central to the psychodynamic approach. It builds theories about unconscious processes, defence mechanisms, and childhood conflicts from detailed clinical narratives of a few individuals. These data are rich and illuminating, but the ideas are not easily testable or falsifiable, and interpretations can be highly subjective and tied to the therapist’s perspective. Because the evidence comes from small, non-representative samples rather than large, controlled experiments or standardized measures, the findings can’t be reliably generalized. This combination of untestable concepts and case-study data is why this approach is criticized. Large-scale experiments, cross-cultural surveys, or animal studies would offer more generalizable or objective evidence, but they’re not how psychodynamic ideas were developed.