Psychodynamic refers to psychological processes developed in the individual's life since childhood and their effects on mental states and behavior.

In psychology, "psychodynamic" refers to theories or approaches that focus on the role of unconscious mental processes in shaping an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Psychodynamic theories often emphasize the role of early experiences and unconscious conflicts in shaping an individual's personality and behavior. Here are a few examples of how "psychodynamic" might be used in the field of psychology:

  1. Psychodynamic therapy: This refers to a type of therapy that is based on psychodynamic theories and that aims to help an individual understand and resolve unconscious conflicts or issues that may be impacting their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Techniques used in psychodynamic therapy may include free association, dream analysis, and transference.

  2. Psychodynamic theory: This refers to a set of theories or ideas that are based on the premise that unconscious mental processes play a significant role in shaping an individual's personality and behavior. Psychodynamic theories often posit that early experiences and unresolved conflicts can have a lasting impact on an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

  3. Psychodynamic perspective: This refers to a way of understanding or interpreting psychological phenomena from a psychodynamic perspective, which emphasizes the role of unconscious mental processes in shaping behavior.

  4. Psychodynamic research: This refers to research that is conducted using a psychodynamic approach or that is informed by psychodynamic theories.