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Which of the following is not among the core principles of psychodynamic theories?

a. personality and adjustment are important topics of psychological inquiry.
b. we mentally transform our experiences, giving them meaning that shapes our personality.
c. unconscious motives lie behind some of our puzzling behavior.
d. personality is determined only by early life experiences.

User DRing
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Final answer:

The principle not among the core principles of psychodynamic theories is that personality is determined only by early life experiences. Neo-Freudian adaptations of Freud's work suggest that personality development spans the entire lifespan, incorporating social factors and interactions beyond early childhood.

Step-by-step explanation:

The core principle of psychodynamic theories that is not accurate is d. personality is determined only by early life experiences. While Sigmund Freud emphasized the significance of early childhood in personality development, his successors, the neo-Freudians, adapted his theories, suggesting that personality continues to develop throughout an individual's entire lifespan. For instance, Erik Erikson proposed a psychosocial theory, which expands on Freud's ideas to include the social nature of our development and the impacts at various stages of life.

In contrast to the other options outlined, which do align with psychodynamic principles: a. personality and adjustment are indeed major topics in psychology, b. transformation of experiences shapes personality, and c. unconscious motives underlie some behaviors. It's the suggestion that personality is solely determined by events in early life, excluding the possibility of later life experiences also being influential, that does not fit with the broader scope of psychodynamic theories, including the contributions of neo-Freudian thinkers.

User Emory
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