Overview
This lecture focuses on Sigmund Freud's theory of psychoanalysis, covering its core concepts, stages of development, defense mechanisms, scientific criticisms, and the ongoing influence of unconscious processes in psychology.
Freud’s Psychoanalysis: Big Ideas
- Freud developed a comprehensive theory of mind, not tied to a single discovery but spanning many life aspects.
- Psychoanalysis centers on unconscious motivation: people are driven by desires and fears they are not aware of.
- Unconscious dynamics influence mental illness, dreams, slips of the tongue, and everyday errors.
- Freud proposed the mind consists of three parts: id (instinctual drives), ego (rational self), and superego (internalized societal rules).
- Most mental processes, especially those tied to desires and morality, operate unconsciously.
Psychosexual Development Stages
- Freud outlined five stages: oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital.
- Fixation at any stage can lead to specific personality traits (e.g., oral fixation leads to dependency, anal fixation to compulsiveness).
- The Oedipus Complex describes a boy’s unconscious desire for his mother and rivalry with his father; Electra Complex is analogous for girls.
- The latency stage involves sexual repression; the genital stage is mature adult sexuality.
Defense Mechanisms
- Defense mechanisms are unconscious processes that protect the ego from anxiety.
- Examples include: sublimation (channeling energy into acceptable activities), displacement (redirecting emotions to safer targets), projection (attributing own impulses to others), rationalization (justifying behaviors), and regression (reverting to earlier developmental stages).
- These mechanisms are normal unless they fail and result in psychological symptoms.
Critiques and Scientific Assessment
- Freud’s theories are often seen as untestable or too vague to be falsifiable (Popper’s criterion).
- Many Freud claims lack empirical support, especially those about psychosexual development and treatment efficacy.
- Psychoanalysis is now less central in psychology departments, more prominent in literature or history.
- Despite criticism, the idea of unconscious mental processes remains influential and supported in modern psychology.
Evidence of the Unconscious in Modern Psychology
- Everyday actions (language processing, habits) are often unconscious.
- Social psychology shows unconscious factors (like hazing or subliminal death cues) affect attitudes and preferences.
- People’s choices and prejudices can be influenced by factors they do not consciously recognize.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Psychoanalysis — Freud’s theory and therapeutic method focused on unconscious motives and conflicts.
- Id — The primitive, instinctual part of the mind seeking pleasure.
- Ego — The rational self, mediating between id, superego, and reality.
- Superego — Internalized rules and moral standards from parents and society.
- Defense mechanisms — Unconscious strategies to protect the ego from anxiety (e.g., sublimation, projection).
- Oedipus Complex — A child’s unconscious desire for the opposite-sex parent and rivalry with same-sex parent.
- Fixation — Persistent focus on an earlier psychosexual stage due to unresolved conflicts.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Freud’s stages and defense mechanisms.
- Prepare questions on differences between Freud’s concepts and modern views of the unconscious.
- Read assigned chapter on behaviorism for next class.