The subject line contains a very common question: Why do we still have to learn

Question

The subject line contains a very common question: Why do we still have to learn about Freud?? This question is one that comes up a lot, especially in my personality course.

There is some truth to this question. Is a theory that was developed over 130+ years ago, still applicable???

Many people believe that Freud contributed extensively to the field of psychology while others believe that his work was intangible and too focused on psychosexual development. I'm usually of the school of thought that appreciates - at least something - from a theorist, so I think we might be able to see both sides.

So....for this post let's try to find the good and the bad about Freudian theory.

1). Discuss one aspect of Freud's theory that “makes sense” to you.  First, describe the theory, using reputable research, and then give an explanation and example of the concept.

2). Discuss one aspect of Freud's theory that does not make sense to you.  Same as the first, describe the theory using reputable research and then state why you do not agree with the approach.  

Explanation / Answer

freud gave the psychosexual development theory. he developed the topographical model of mind and said that it has 3 parts. conscious consists of the thoughts focussing our attention on the present. preconcious arwe the things that can be retrieved from the past.unconscious is the cause of the behavior. it is a storage of our wishes and is mediated by the preconscious.

later he developed the structural model to mind. it comprises of id, ego, and superego. id operates at the unconscious level and works on the pleasure principle i.e. it seeks immediate gratification to the desires. ir has 2 instincts. the eros i.e. life instinct helps the individual to survive ans the thanatos i.e. death instinct is the destructive instinct expressed as anger and aggression. ego develops from the id during infancy. it fulfills the needs of id in a way accepted by society. it works on the reality principle. superego develops during childhood and works on moral principle. itmakes one react in socially responsible and acceptable manner.

he also believed that children are born with libido which is a sexual urge or desire. he believed that this is the driving force for all the actions of a person and is responsible for reactions as well as mental condition and development of a person. stages of developemnt were oral, anal, phallic, latent and genital.during the oral phase which is from birth to 2 years child seeks pleasure by mouth. in the anal stage toilet training beging which is from 3-5 years and anal region becomes the major source of gratification. in the phallic stage child learns about the gaining pleasure by masturbation as the sexual awareness starts developing. this is from 6-10years. during the latent stage which is from 10 - 12 years the development of skills starts and all the sexual attention shifts there. durng the genital stage attraction towards opposite sex develops at the age of 13-18 years and sexual interest can lead to intercourse.

Mental abnormality can occur if a stage is not completed successfully and the person becomes ‘fixated’ in a particular stage.

thereserach for the theory began duringg the case of anna o.. she had hysteria which is a medical condition in which the patient shows physical symptoms without a physical cause. her doctor josef breuer treated her by recalling past events by which the cause became clear. As soon as she had the opportunity to make these unconscious thoughts conscious her paralysis disappeared.after discussing this with freud he motivated him to wor on this concept and the theory is based on this.

the aspect of the theory which makes sense to me is the process of development asthe biologicxal features during the development can be observed and traced and generally people develop in the same order.

although it is good still it cannot predict behavior and this is the aspect which doesnt make sense to me as the unconscious mind is difficult to measure objectively and makes the theory unscientific.

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