Freud’s psychoanalytic theory

Dr. Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939)

·        Austrian Neurologist

·        medical doctor

·        Father of psychoanalysis

·        Father of modern psychology

·        Freud elaborated the theory that the mind is a complex energy-system, the structural investigation of which is the proper province of psychology.

·        ‘Interpretation of dreams (1899)’- Is generally regarded as his greatest work.

Psychoanalysis

o   One of the school of psychology

o   To explain human behaviour

o   Contrary to structuralism, functionalism, behaviorism and gestaltism.

Psychoanalytical theories based on the assumption that, personality is to be understood in terms of interaction and conflict among needs and impulses found in an individual.

Freud’s psychoanalytic theory

Three major parts

1.      Theory of  Personality dynamics

2.      Theory of  Personality structure

3.      Theory of  Psycho sexual development

I. Theory of Personality dynamics

·        According to Freud, the human mind has three main divisions namely; Conscious, Subconscious and Unconscious.

·        He compared human mind, just like a iceberg

Conscious mind

·        Upper layer of the mind

·        We are aware at a given moment.

·        Idea, thought, and image

Subconscious mind

·        Just beneath the conscious mind

·        Individual not fully aware but can be recalled easily.

·        Contain memory and stored knowledge

Unconscious mind

·        Most important part of the mind

·        Deeper layer of the mind

·        Repressed wishes, fear, selfish needs, un acceptable sexual desires, immoral urges and shameful experience

·        Individual not able to recall these.

·        Mental ill and abnormal behaviour are closely related to this part.

II. Theory of Personality structure

·        Freud state that the personality is built around the three inter relating systems namely id, ego, superego.

Id

·        It consists all primitive, innate urges like bodily needs, sexual desire and aggressive impulses.

·        Animal side of the man

·        Seated in unconscious mind

·        All instinctive energy of the individual

·        Present at birth

·        ‘I must get what I wants, when it wants’.

·        Selfish and unethical

·        Non-reality

·        Follow no rules and consider only satisfaction of its own needs and drives.

·        It operates pleasure seeking principle.

·        It has no value, no rules does not recognize right or wrong.

Ego

·        Reality principle

·        It act intelligently

·        Police force in the man

·        Keep the balance between the demand of id and superego.

·        Seated in subconscious mind

Superego

·        Is the third system of the personality

·        Ethical and moral aspects of the psyche

·        It develop at the age of 5

·        Seated in unconscious mind

·        It is idealistic and does not care for realities.

·        Idealistic in nature

·        Perfection in its good rather than the pleasure is its goal.

·        It develop out of the ego’s experience with social reality.

·        Super ego represent the sense of right and wrong, good or bad for the society.

III. Theory of psycho-sexual development.

·        Freud identified five stages of personality, which depend on fixation or sexual energy at a particular stage of sex development.

·        All human being moves through a series of psycho sexual stage.

Oral stage (B to 2)

·        Mouth is the erogenous zone

·        Mouth represents the first sex organ for providing pleasure to the child.

·        Pleasure received from the mother’s nipple or the bottle.

·        Child derives pleasure by putting anything, candy, a stick, his own thump etc.

Anal stage (2 to 3)

·        Sexual pleasure is focused on anal zone

·        The child achieves gratification through retention and expulsion of feces and also through anal manipulation.

Phallic stage (3 to 5)

·        Pleasure is focused on the genital region

·        Children became aware of sexuality and they develop sensual feelings towards the parent of the opposite sex.

·        Oedipus complex – formed male child as a result of his sexual desire towards his mother

·        Electra complex – is developed the female child on account of her desire for the father and rejection of mother.

Latency stage (6 to puberty)

·        Boys and girls prefer to be in the company of their own sex

·        Neglect or hate members of the opposite sex.

Genetic stage (Adolescence and beyond)

·        Mature sexual relationship with opposite sex

·        Pleasure by self-stimulation of the genitals

Libido

·        It represents that life maintaining energy which seeks pleasure through sexual gratification.

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