Sigmund Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory Of Development

Improved Essays
Sigmund Freud’s theories are widely denounced by modern psychologists it cannot be denied that he had a very important place in the history of psychology. The only one of his theories still practiced today, while not very reliably, is dream analysis. His thoughts on development and child sexuality is his most controversial theory. One of his most famous theories was on human behavior and what causes it.

Sigmund Freud was born in a small town in Austria in 1856. When he was four he moved to Vienna. When Nazi Germany annexed Austria, Freud, being Jewish, moved to England. It was after he lived in England that he went to school for biology and became a physicist by trade. This is when Freud founded a branch of psychology known as psychoanalysis.
…show more content…
The Id is what everyone is at birth. It is the notion that at birth what everyone wants is their basic and most animalistic needs. The Id demands what it needs and does not care about the needs of anyone or anything else. This is what humans supposedly are for the first few years of …show more content…
The Ego is meant to see reality. It knows that there are consequences for being self-centered and impulsive. It is there to make sure that the Id’s needs are met in a realistic manner. The Ego and the Id share the mind until around the age of five.

The Superego is what some might call the conscious. It dictates a human’s sense of right and wrong. It is meant to set limits for the Ego. It is there so that the Id does not take too much and drive a human to an animalistic state. The whole idea behind the theory is a sense of balance in the mind.

Balance between the Id, Ego, and Superego is important to living a normal life. Imbalance between the Id, Ego, and Superego is the cause of hardships and mental problems in the mind. If the Id were to be too strong the person would be impulsive and only act on their own desires. If the Superego were to be too strong a person would be so inflexible on their morals that they would not be able to enjoy their lives.

The theory of behavior Freud proposed was trying to explain what drives us as humans. The theory basically states that all people are all born animals and that people are always trying to satisfy that animalistic side while still trying to lead a moral life. Thus, meaning that the mind is always in conflict even in people who would be considered

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    The ego is the part of our personality which maintains a balance between impulses and our conscience. The ego is based on the reality principle. The ego understands that other people have needs and desires and that being impulsive or egotistical can hurt us. It’s the ego’s job to meet the needs of the id while taking into consideration the consequence of our actions. The superego represents our conscience.…

    • 1364 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Pierce College Worldview

    • 498 Words
    • 2 Pages

    At my high school, the different backgrounds and upbringing were limited. At Pierce College, the demographic of students is rich in diversity. Pierce College’ student body is a diverse pool of people ranging from traditional college students with students of different backgrounds including foreign exchange and running start students. Many of the veterans and non-traditional students attending Pierce College have used their college experience to expand their horizon. I’ve been fortunate to interact with much of the student body through my job as the Issues & Awareness Coordinator at Pierce.…

    • 498 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    id. The id works directly with the ego sometimes even referred to as the id-ego to achieve the id’s selfish desires and wants. We can see the id emerge when a baby is born. Not caring about any consequences that come with any actions the baby takes. Only worrying about basic survival.…

    • 1323 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    (Funder, 2016, p.352). It was absurd for that specific time that someone states how talking actually helps solving personal problems. Moreover, his view of human is very pessimistic and at best neutral. According to Tan (2011) Freud has deterministic view, in which all human actions and behaviors are…

    • 2318 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Regarding Henry Analysis

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In the movie Regarding Henry, a well-known corporate lawyer named Henry Turner faces a life-changing accident. While going to pick up cigarettes, he is shot by an armed burglar, which forces Henry to relearn everything he used to know. In his journey, he has to rediscover who he used to be, the life he lived, and the memories he made. From watching the movie, one can argue that Henry’s natural state is the Id.…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Regarding Henry Tuner

    • 676 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Freud was a Psychoanalytic Psychology, first suggest that everyone has a large unconscious. He then continued on to identify three parts of the personality: Id, Ego, and Superego. According to Freud the Id is the reservoir of instinctual and biological urges, Ego is the rational, thoughtful decision-maker, and lastly Superego is the source of conscience that inhibits the socially undesirable impulses of the Id. In the movie “Regarding Henry”, Henry Tuner is wealthy, high-powered, very successful Manhattan Lawyer appears to have a perfect wife, daughter, and life; In reality he is cold to the heart and is unable to experience love in his daily existence. Then was shot and from that point on everything in Henry’s life has changed forever.…

    • 676 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Obsession Leads to Destruction The myth of Pandora’s Box and Tolkien’s Gollum showcase how temptation over an object can lead to something tragic. Obsession leads to tragedy whether it is an individual or societal matter; the mythological Pandora obsesses over her box, while Tolkien’s Gollum obsesses over his “precious”, yet both attachments bring irreversible misfortune. The mythological Pandora and Tolkien’s Gollum obsessions led to catastrophe.…

    • 1849 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    Victorian Morality

    • 1707 Words
    • 7 Pages

    It bows to the realities of life, putting a rein on the id’s desire for aggressive instincts, until a suitable, socially acceptable outlet can be found. Thus, the ego would be Dr. Jekyll’s personality before the separation of his personalities. Lastly, the superego (partly conscious, but largely unconscious) is the system that controls the good and the evil actions in the human personality. This is the morality and a voice of the conscious mind telling us to do the right thing. Most of us, would be filled with feelings of pride and satisfaction when we do something good.…

    • 1707 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The ego compensates for the demands of the id by guiding an individual’s actions or behaviors to keep them within the boundaries of society. The ego is the decision-making component of personality. The third element is the super-ego. The superego develops as a person incorporates the moral standards and values of others. The superego serves to pass judgment on the behavior and actions of…

    • 1643 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Compare and contrast Psychoanalytic Theory to that of Social Cognitive Perspective and the Humanistic Perspective. Also, tell me who are the primary psychologists who came up with each theory/perspective? Sigmund Freud was an influential psychiatrist and clinical psychologist. Freud began his work when he found that the disorders of the patients he was seeing made no neurological sense. What could be causing feelings that had no physical cause?…

    • 1455 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Freud Vs Watson Essay

    • 434 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Sigmund Freud and John B. Watson are two of the most famous pioneers of psychology. Though they had different ideas of how the human mind worked, the two had similar theories on human behavior. Sigmund Freud's’ background in biology, physiology, and neurology influenced his work in the field of psychology. Freud founded the branch of psychology known as psychoanalysis. He studied neurological reasons for people's behaviors, theorizing that people's phobias and mental illnesses stem from traumatic experiences in their pasts that are now hidden in the consciousness.…

    • 434 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    However, personality itself comes from interactions with id, ego, and superego. The id is where all the decisions are made using the pleasure principle. Th ego delays gratification using the reality principle so that decision making is appropriate, and when threated the ego uses defense mechanisms. The super ego is where we get our sense of right and wrong.…

    • 741 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    It makes sure the ego handles the demands of the id in a morally acceptable manner. The superego is classified into two parts, the ego ideal and the conscience. The ego ideal is the branch of the superego that gathers all its morally acknowledge undertakings and rewards the ego with pride and self-esteem, while the conscience is responsible for disciplining the morally wrong actions of the ego through infamy, guilt and humiliation (Knafo, 2009). The internal moral forces that ultimately bring about restricted actions are normally not confined and keep the id under control allowing the ego to take…

    • 1790 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Reflection Paper #1 Throughout this semester I have learned a great deal about human relations, which I did not know previous to taking this class. Thus far, I think that I have learned briefly some of the major concepts involved in the academic study of human relations. Throughout this class I have engaged in critical thinking and introspection and I have been able to apply human relation principles to my personal and professional life.…

    • 1123 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sigmund Freud has been discredited and disproved since the height of his fame in the early 20th century. However, he has also provided a working foundation that has allowed many theorists and psychologists to perfect the modern basis for psychology. Obviously, he did not completely fabricate such theories without building off of other foundations, but the direction he took his principles are what allow him to stand out. With that in mind, I have come to the conclusion that there are flaws and gold mines within his work. Separating the two is the key to truly understand him and the way he worked.…

    • 778 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays

Related Topics