Freud Psychology Overview

Freud's PsychoDynamic Theory

• Introduced by Sigmund Freud, it emphasizes the influence of unconscious processes on behavior.
• Key terms:
• ID: Represents primal urges (e.g., hunger, sex).
• Ego: Mediates between the demands of the ID and the realities of the external world.
• Superego: Reflects moral conscience and ideals acquired from parents and society.

Development of Personality

• At birth, an infant embodies the ID, acting on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification with no concern for reality.
• As individuals grow, they develop the Ego and Superego, balancing immediate needs with societal expectations.
• Pleasure Principle: Drives individuals to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
• Example: Satisfying hunger now rather than waiting.
• Reality Principle: The Ego learns to delay gratification until appropriate and safe.

Conflict Among Structures

• The interaction between ID, Ego, and Superego often results in unconscious conflict leading to anxiety.
• Types of Anxiety:
• Reality Anxiety: Fear of real-world threats.
• Neurotic Anxiety: Fear of uncontrolled desires from the ID.
• Moral Anxiety: Fear of guilt from the Superego's expectations.

Defense Mechanisms

• Mechanisms employed by the Ego to manage anxiety and protect against unpleasant feelings:
• Repression: Burying painful memories or thoughts.
• Displacement: Redirecting emotions to a substitute target.
  • Example: Taking anger out on a coworker after an argument with a partner.
• Reaction Formation: Expressing the opposite of what one feels.
  • Example: Overly loving someone one secretly resents.
• Rationalization: Justifying behaviors with logical reasons, not emotional ones.
  • Example: Saying cheating is acceptable if the partner is not attentive.
• Projection: Attributing one's unwanted feelings to others.
  • Example: A person who is angry at a friend believes the friend is angry at them.
• Regression: Reverting to behavior characteristic of an earlier stage of development (e.g., thumb-sucking).
• Isolation: Allowing memories back into consciousness without emotions.
• Conversion: Transforming psychological conflict into physical symptoms (e.g., blindness due to stress).

Understanding the Unconscious

• Freud argued that accessing the unconscious can reveal hidden thoughts and desires. Methods to explore include:
• Dream Analysis: This reflects wish-fulfillment hidden behind manifest content and symbols.
• Free Association: Patients provide unfiltered thoughts to reveal underlying issues.
• Freudian Slips: Errors in speech that reveal subconscious thoughts.

Critiques of Freud's Theory

• Issues with limited data, potential observer bias, and vague concepts have been raised about the validity of his ideas.
• Evidence for Freud: Recognition of unconscious processing has been validated in modern psychology.
• Example: Subliminal Perception: Studies demonstrate subconscious influence on behavior, although evidence of significant effects is minimal.

Broader Perspectives on Personality

• Humanistic Perspective: Focuses on the inherent goodness of people and the drive for self-actualization (e.g., Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs).
• Carl Rogers emphasizes the importance of self-concept and unconditional positive regard for healthy psychological development.
• Trait and Social Cognitive Theories: Include perspectives like Eysenck's, Cattell's, Big Five, Rotter and Bandura's contributions to understanding human behavior and personality.

Freud's Contribution

• Despite critiques, Freud's exploration of the unconscious remains influential in psychological thought, shaping the understanding of human behavior.