Psychology Chapter 14
Sigmund Freud
Viennese neurologist who developed first comprehensive theory of personality
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality
Developed by Sigmund Freud
Rests on three primary assumptions
o Psychic determinism
o Symbolic meaning
o Unconscious motivation
Freud thought that the psyche consisted of three components:
o Id-basic instincts; operates on pleasure principle
o Ego-Principal decision maker; operates on reality principle
o Superego-sense of morality
Conflict between these causes distress
Freud thought that our dreams reflect this unconscious struggle
Said all dreams reflect wish fulfillments but that some are in disguise
Contrary to pop psych, did not say that all symbols mean the same to everyone
Anxiety and Defense Mechanisms
o The ego will try to minimize anxiety via defense mechanisms
o Although essential for psychological health, Freud thought over-reliance on one
or two could cause problems
Defense Mechanism Examples
o Repression- Motivated forgetting of emotionally threatening memories or
impulses
o Denial- motivated forgetting of distressing experiences
o Projection- unconscious attribution of our negative qualities to others
Stages of Psychosexual Development
Freud believed that we pass through stages, each of which focuses on the erogenous zone
Freud insisted that sexuality begins in infancy
Individuals may get fixated in a stage and have difficulty moving on
Oral: 12-18 months: sucking and drinking
Anal: 18 months-3 years: alleviating tension through pooping
Phallic: 3 years- 6 years: genitals (penis or clitoris)
Latency: 6 years- 12 years: Dormant sexual stage
Genital: 12 years and beyond: Renewed sexual impulses; emergence of mature romantic
relationships
Psychoanalytic Theory Evaluated Scientifically
Very influential in our thinking about personality, but there are major criticisms
o Unfalsifiable
o Failed predications
Sigmund Freud
Viennese neurologist who developed first comprehensive theory of personality
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality
Developed by Sigmund Freud
Rests on three primary assumptions
o Psychic determinism
o Symbolic meaning
o Unconscious motivation
Freud thought that the psyche consisted of three components:
o Id-basic instincts; operates on pleasure principle
o Ego-Principal decision maker; operates on reality principle
o Superego-sense of morality
Conflict between these causes distress
Freud thought that our dreams reflect this unconscious struggle
Said all dreams reflect wish fulfillments but that some are in disguise
Contrary to pop psych, did not say that all symbols mean the same to everyone
Anxiety and Defense Mechanisms
o The ego will try to minimize anxiety via defense mechanisms
o Although essential for psychological health, Freud thought over-reliance on one
or two could cause problems
Defense Mechanism Examples
o Repression- Motivated forgetting of emotionally threatening memories or
impulses
o Denial- motivated forgetting of distressing experiences
o Projection- unconscious attribution of our negative qualities to others
Stages of Psychosexual Development
Freud believed that we pass through stages, each of which focuses on the erogenous zone
Freud insisted that sexuality begins in infancy
Individuals may get fixated in a stage and have difficulty moving on
Oral: 12-18 months: sucking and drinking
Anal: 18 months-3 years: alleviating tension through pooping
Phallic: 3 years- 6 years: genitals (penis or clitoris)
Latency: 6 years- 12 years: Dormant sexual stage
Genital: 12 years and beyond: Renewed sexual impulses; emergence of mature romantic
relationships
Psychoanalytic Theory Evaluated Scientifically
Very influential in our thinking about personality, but there are major criticisms
o Unfalsifiable
o Failed predications
