Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory and Method

Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory and Method

Sigmund Freud was the creator of Psychoanalysis which means analysis

of the mind,

Freud developed specific methods of analysing, all of them

concentrating on the

unconscious mind.

This essay will describe Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, method and the

techniques he

used, describing, Methods of Investigation, Personality Development,

Defence

Mechanisms and The Psychosexual Stages of Development. Freud believed

that

because he could not find any physical cause for many of his patient’s

symptoms, that

they must be linked to unconscious psychological disturbances. Freud

attempted to

uncover the psychological problems using Psychoanalysis.

Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality Development suggests that

three

components, The ID, The EGO, and The SUPER-EGO drive people. The ID is

present

at birth and works on the “Pleasure Principle” demanding immediate

gratification, e.g.

“At birth a baby’s mind is all Id - want want want. The Id is the

primitive mind,

containing all the basic needs and feelings”.

. Available from [online] 19/10/04

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The EGO develops soon after birth and works on the “Reality

Principle”, the

conscience is formed which aids our decision making, Davies and

Houghton (1995 Pg

261) wrote…”once the ego has developed the infant no longer makes

unreasonable

demands on the caretaker, such as demanding food when they are out

walking”.

The SUPER-EGO develops at around the age of five, this works on the

“Morality

Princip...

... middle of paper ...

... would

interfere with the concentration of both the patient and himself”.

Freud’s theories did however contribute to show that childhood events

and abuse can

affect adult personality, and allowed us to realise that deep within

our unconscious lays

the true reasons for our behaviour.

Though the debate as to the reliability of the Psychoanalytic concept

as a whole will

continue to rage, it also will continue to produce a valuable insight

into the area of

human behaviour and motivation.

Bibliography

James D E, 1970, Introduction to Psychology, 2nd Revised ed, London,

Constable.

Davies R and Houghton P, 1995, Mastering Psychology, 2nd ed,

Hampshire, Macmillan

Press Ltd.

[Online] Available from: -

http://www.wilderdom.com/personality/L8-4StructureMindIdEgoSuperego.html