Contrast the psychoanalytic approach to psychotherapy with the behavioral approach. Include discussion of their views on the nature of psychopathology and the role of the unconscious

What will be an ideal response?

The behavioral therapies use the principles of operant and classical conditioning to change behaviors. The focus is on how the behaviors have been learned, and more importantly, how the problematic behaviors can be replaced with healthy ones. This therapeutic perspective does not believe in examining the unconscious mind; only behaviors matter. The psychoanalytic approach uses the principles of psychoanalysis to provide insight into the unconscious mind's conflicts and forces. The belief here is that ego defenses prevent problems from reaching consciousness. Methods such as free association and dream interpretation were used by therapists to get around the ego defenses and find out what was in the unconscious.