Cause for Abandonment: The Seduction Theory

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The Seduction Theory In 1896, Freud published an article entitled, “The Aetiology of Hysteria,” (Gleaves & Hernandez, 1999). Within the paper, he presented his scarcely known “seduction theory,” which stated that the repression of memories from childhood, and sometimes infant, sexual trauma produced hysterical symptoms in teenage and adult individuals (generally women) (Gleaves & Hernandez, 1999). Moreover, Freud claimed that the only way to alleviate these symptoms was through “the retrieval and reliving of repressed memories,” (Gleaves & Hernandez, 1999). Interestingly, however, within just a year of publishing this controversial article, Freud appeared to be having doubts about his theory. In a letter to close friend, Wilhelm Fliess, Freud wrote that a “great secret has been slowly dawning on me in the last few months,” (Gleaves & Hernandez, 1999). Reportedly, the great secret was that Freud no longer believed in his theory and was attempting to reorganize his theory on hysteria to better suit the evidence and research he had collected (Gleaves & Hernandez, 1999). In his new theory, which would eventually spawn what the psychological community recognizes as the Oedipus Complex, Freud argued that hysteria was caused by repressed memories of sexual fantasies, not memories of actual sexual abuse or trauma as he once believed (Gleaves & Hernandez, 1999). Freud’s Doubts In another letter to Fliess, dated September 1897, Freud expressed four general concerns and reasons for abandoning his theory (Gleaves & Hernandez, 1999; Aron, 2012). First, he referred to the fact that he could not bring resolution to any of his analyses nor could he explain partial successes (Gleaves & Hernandez, 1999; Aron, 2012). If his theory was correct... ... middle of paper ... ...eduction Theory? . . Retrieved April 4, 2014, from http://carlossakka.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/why-did-freud-abandon-his-seduction-theory-1of2/ Esterson, A. Jeffrey Masson and Freud's seduction theory: a new fable based on old myths. History of the Human Sciences, 11, 1-21. Gleaves, D., & Hernandez, E. Recent Reformulations of Freud's Development and Abandonment of His Seduction Theory: Historical/Scientific Clarification or a Continued Assault on Truth? . History of Psychology, 2, 324-354. Masson, J. M. (1984). The assault on truth: Freud's suppression of the seduction theory. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Sigmund Freud Biography. (2012, January 1). . Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://www.egs.edu/library/sigmund-freud/biography/ Sigmund Freud. (1998, January 1). Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bhfreu.html

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