Sigmund Freud: The Father of Psychoanalysis
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud; or the Father of psychoanalysis, became extremely well known when he began to make connections between psychological problems and sexual issues. Freud started off his educational journey in Vienna studying medicine, and later chose neurology as his specialty. He developed the basis of many theories from the work he did with mental patients. The theories that he developed were influential to many individuals as well as extremely controversial among the members of society. His theory of personality development was focused around sexual pleasure, and the effects that it had on the individual. He believed that at specific points throughout the process of development, parts of the body would experience sensitivity to sexual stimulation. Freud called the sensitive parts ‘erogenous zones’, which are comprised of the mouth, anus, and genital area. As a child graduates through the stages, it is very important for them to resolve the development issues that came to attention in the previous stage. There are certain needs and demands that coincide with each stage of development and if these are not met, the child will risk becoming frustrated. Frustration could result in fixation “(the arresting of part of the libido at an immature stage, causing an obsessive attachment)”[1] on a certain stage. Fixation in a specific stage will affect the child’s personality in adulthood as well as dominate it.
There are five stages that Freud developed to assist others in understanding his psychosexual theory. The first stage, known as the ‘oral stage’, begins at birth. Throughout the oral stage the infant predominately nurses; Freud views this as children pleasuring themselves by putting things in their mouths. The conflict of this stage is weaning, which in other terms is managing with something that someone has become dependant on. The child passing through this stage will become dependent of nursing, as well as being mothered.
Sigmund Freud; or the Father of psychoanalysis, became extremely well known when he began to make connections between psychological problems and sexual issues. Freud started off his educational journey in Vienna studying medicine, and later chose neurology as his specialty. He developed the basis of many theories from the work he did with mental patients. The theories that he developed were influential to many individuals as well as extremely controversial among the members of society. His theory of personality development was focused around sexual pleasure, and the effects that it had on the individual. He believed that at specific points throughout the process of development, parts of the body would experience sensitivity to sexual stimulation. Freud called the sensitive parts ‘erogenous zones’, which are comprised of the mouth, anus, and genital area. As a child graduates through the stages, it is very important for them to resolve the development issues that came to attention in the previous stage. There are certain needs and demands that coincide with each stage of development and if these are not met, the child will risk becoming frustrated. Frustration could result in fixation “(the arresting of part of the libido at an immature stage, causing an obsessive attachment)”[1] on a certain stage. Fixation in a specific stage will affect the child’s personality in adulthood as well as dominate it.
There are five stages that Freud developed to assist others in understanding his psychosexual theory. The first stage, known as the ‘oral stage’, begins at birth. Throughout the oral stage the infant predominately nurses; Freud views this as children pleasuring themselves by putting things in their mouths. The conflict of this stage is weaning, which in other terms is managing with something that someone has become dependant on. The child passing through this stage will become dependent of nursing, as well as being mothered.