Institution:
Professor:
Psychology
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Sigmund Freud: The Founding Father of Psychoanalysis.
Sigismund Schlomo Freud was an Australian neurologist born on 6th May 1856. He worked at the Vienna General Hospital where he carried out research in Celebral Palsy, aphasia and microscopic Neuroanatomy. Due to his researches, the university got awarded in neuropathology. He later developed theories concerning the unconscious mind and the mechanism of repression which led to psychoanalysis. In 1886, he entered private practice where he specialized in nervous disorders.
Sigmund Freud came up with several theories as discussed below.
1. The Conscious And Unconscious Mind
This was one of Freud’s theories. According to Freud, the human mind is divided into two main parts: the conscious and the unconscious. The conscious mind consists of everything that our mind is attentive to. This includes memory although it is not always part of the conscious mind. He included it because memory can be retrieved to our awareness. Sigmund Freud named this portion of the mind the preconscious. Freud went on to describe the unconscious mind as a source of things our mind is not aware of. It consists of displeasing and unaccepted things to the individual and it influences our behaviors and experiences.
2. Id, Ego and Super Ego.
The Id is a trait acquired from birth. It is unconscious and includes both natural and naive behaviors. Feud stated that the id is the source of all psychic energy. This makes it the main factor of personality. He described it as the childish portion of the human mind. It operates according to the pleasure principle which endeavors for immediate gratification of our needs and desires. If not satisfied immediately, it may result in tension and anxiety. Sigmund Freud obtained the word ‘Id’ from Georg Groddeck’s writings. The Ego is the element responsible for dealing with reality. Freud stated that the ego develops as a
References: Psychopathology of everyday life by Sigmund Freud (1901) Sexuality and the Psychology of Love by Sigmund Freud Dr. Freud: A Life by Ferris Paul (1999)