Freud, Adler and Jung: Founders of Psychoanalytic Research
Freud, Adler and Jung: Founders of Psychoanalytic Research
Elizabeth R. Blight
PSY/250
1/23/2013
Michelle Willis
Introduction: There are three well-known influential thinkers who are considered to be pioneers in the field of psychology. It could be argued that without …., the emergence of psychology as we know it might not have ever happened, at least in its present form. Freud is considered by his modern-day counterparts to be the founding father of analytic psychology, as he is the first to have come up with an albeit rudimentary, but nevertheless valuable model of the human psyche. Prior to his groundbreaking work, the nature of human consciousness was largely debated and theorized by medical doctors and theologians. Then there is Adler, (who was the first to have suggested the societal impact on emotions and thought processes and vice-versa, arguing that consciousness and culture have what could be termed as a symbiotic relationship. He emphasized, too, the importance of self-esteem and was the first to say that without a healthy self-esteem, an individual would develop an inferiority/superiority complex which would in turn affect many aspects of life. Last but not least, Carl Jung, who was a respected colleague of Freud in his earlier years, focused on the spiritual aspects of consciousness and saw the value it played on thoughts and emotions. We will explore in this paper the commonalities between these founding fathers of psychology as well as their differences, and explore the strengths in their theories as well as the weaknesses. By understanding the founders of this very subjective field of scientific thought, we can gain a better picture of how psychology has evolved over the years and apply it to our own research and studies.
Sigmund Freud:
According to Freudian theory, the consciousness is composed of three opposing forces: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id (Freud used the German term Das es) which consists of our
Elizabeth R. Blight
PSY/250
1/23/2013
Michelle Willis
Introduction: There are three well-known influential thinkers who are considered to be pioneers in the field of psychology. It could be argued that without …., the emergence of psychology as we know it might not have ever happened, at least in its present form. Freud is considered by his modern-day counterparts to be the founding father of analytic psychology, as he is the first to have come up with an albeit rudimentary, but nevertheless valuable model of the human psyche. Prior to his groundbreaking work, the nature of human consciousness was largely debated and theorized by medical doctors and theologians. Then there is Adler, (who was the first to have suggested the societal impact on emotions and thought processes and vice-versa, arguing that consciousness and culture have what could be termed as a symbiotic relationship. He emphasized, too, the importance of self-esteem and was the first to say that without a healthy self-esteem, an individual would develop an inferiority/superiority complex which would in turn affect many aspects of life. Last but not least, Carl Jung, who was a respected colleague of Freud in his earlier years, focused on the spiritual aspects of consciousness and saw the value it played on thoughts and emotions. We will explore in this paper the commonalities between these founding fathers of psychology as well as their differences, and explore the strengths in their theories as well as the weaknesses. By understanding the founders of this very subjective field of scientific thought, we can gain a better picture of how psychology has evolved over the years and apply it to our own research and studies.
Sigmund Freud:
According to Freudian theory, the consciousness is composed of three opposing forces: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id (Freud used the German term Das es) which consists of our
References: “Jungian Analysis: Frequently Asked Questions”, New York Association for Analytical Psychology http://www.nyaap.org/about-jungian-analysis#5 Friedman, Howard S. and Schustack, Miriam W. “Personality: Classic Theories and Modern Research” Fifth Edition retrieved 1/23/2013 Heffner, Christopher “Psychoanalytic Theory” (http://allpsych.com/personalitysynopsis/index.html) Published August 21, 2012 retrieved 1/23/2013 Adler,A., & Fleisher, L., (1988, December) The Child’s Inner Life and a Sense of Community. Individual Psychology: The Journal of Adlerian Theory, Research & Practice Vol. 44(4), p. 417. Goodwin, C. J. (2008). A History of Modern Psychology (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley