Which perspective sees the mind as having layers of consciousness, including the conscious and preconscious?

The psychodynamic perspective, primarily developed by Sigmund Freud, conceptualizes the mind as consisting of various layers of consciousness. This perspective divides the mind into three main regions: the conscious, the preconscious, and the unconscious. The conscious mind contains thoughts and feelings that one is currently aware of, while the preconscious holds information that is not in immediate awareness but can be readily accessed. The unconscious mind harbors thoughts, memories, and desires that are not accessible to the conscious mind but still influence behavior.

This layered understanding of the mind is foundational to psychodynamic theory, as it explores how unconscious processes can affect behavior and emotions, often leading to anxiety or conflict when these processes are repressed. The psychodynamic approach emphasizes the importance of exploring these layers to gain insight into one's personality and motivations.

Other psychological perspectives, such as behaviorism, humanistic psychology, and cognitive psychology, do not focus on these internal layers of consciousness. Behaviorism largely examines observable behaviors without addressing internal states, humanistic psychology emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization rather than inner conflict, and cognitive psychology concentrates on mental processes like thinking and memory within a more linear framework, rather than the layered structure advocated by psychodynamics. This distinct focus on the unconscious and pre