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The psychodynamic theory works to explain behaviors through understanding the unconscious processes of a person (Deal). Freud believed that biological drives based on gratification direct human behavior (Deal). When the person seeks gratification, the outside world, such as parents and society, frequently opposes the gratifications (Deal). According to Freud, the gratifications come from the structure called the id (Deal). After a length of time, the restraints no longer come from society alone, as the person has internalized them (Deal). The superego develops from those internalizations (Deal). From the id comes the ego which works to perceive the world, control the id, and support reality (Deal). Social learning and the person’s environment structure the superego, and how well their ego balances the drives from the id and the internalizations from the superego. When the social worker works to understand the environment, they can begin to understand the unconscious processes of the person.
The social work systems theory has other correlating parts, but how the social learning theory and psychodynamic theory work together is interesting. Social learning forms the superego, and eventually the ego of the person. When the person’s environment is lacking, the id has the potential to override the abilities of the superego and ego. At that point, the social worker steps in to help the person. Understanding the person’s environment and how they process the world around them is crucial to an effective social