Psychoanalytic theory by Sigmund Freud for Social Science

1. Psychoanalysis

2. • It is a comprehensive theory about human nature, drive, actions,
growth, and experience.
• It refers to a method of treatment for psychological problems and
challenges in living a successful life.

3. Historical Context
• Psychoanalysis began with Sigmund Freud when he broadened his
practice from medicine to psychiatry in 1882.
• Freud was influenced by Josef Breuer, who believed that a client with
psychological disorder can be helped by simply talking about his or
her problem (talking cure)
• Freud experienced emotional problems such as an exaggerated fear
of dying; thus, he engaged in studying his dreams.
• He was able to publish his book, The Interpretation of Dreams, after
he was accepted in the intellectual community again.

4. Other related findings
• Oedipus Complex
• Common in children in ages 3-5
• a desire for sexual involvement with the parent of the opposite sex and a
concomitant sense of rivalry with the parent of the same sex
• Electra Complex
• a term used to describe the female version of the Oedipus complex.
• It involves a girl, aged between 3 and 6, becoming subconsciously sexually attached
to her father and increasingly hostile toward her mother.
• Carl Jung developed the theory in 1913
• Penis envy
• young girls experience anxiety upon realization that they do not have a penis.
• Freud considered this realization a defining moment in a series of transitions toward
a mature female sexuality

6. Levels of Mental Life
Conscious
• It contains those thoughts of which you are
currently aware (e.g., logic and reasoning).
Preconscious
• It stores all the thoughts of which you could bring
into consciousness fairly easily if you wanted to;
• It includes thoughts that can be easily recalled
without special techniques.
Unconscious
• The material that we have no immediate access to,
and we cannot bring into consciousness.
• It includes repressed feelings, hidden memories,
habits, thoughts, shameful experiences, immoral
desires, fears, violent motives, and reactions.

7. Provinces of the Mind
Id
• It is the oldest and most
primitive psychic energy;
• It represents the
biological foundations of
personality;
• It is concerned only with
satisfying personal
desires immediately. If
these requirements are
not immediately
satisfied, the result is
anxiety or tension.
• The actions taken by the
id are based on the
Pleasure Principle
(motivate the organism
to seek pleasure).
Ego
• The “executive”;
• The primary job of the
ego is to mediate/
balance the demands of
the Id and the outer
forces of reality;
• The center of reason,
reality-testing, and
common sense; and
• Governed by the Reality
Principle
Superego
• The “ideal”;
• The moral arm of the
personality, it
corresponds to one’s
conscience; and
• Bids the psychic
apparatus to pursue
idealistic goals and
perfection.
• It incorporates the values
and morals of society
which are learned from
one's parents and others.
It develops around the
age of 3 – 5 years
• Behavior which falls short
of the ideal self may be
punished by the

8. Key Conceps in Psychoanalysis
• Structures of Personality
• Id
• original system of personality
• self-gratifying branch of personality driven by the pleasure principle, which attempts to
reduce tension by sexual and aggressive impulses
• PLEASURE PRINCIPLE - the instinctive seeking of pleasure and avoiding of pain to satisfy
biological and psychological needs
• Ego
• decision-making branch of personality
• ruled by the reality principle
• Superego
• discriminating branch of personality
• concerned with moralistic issues in deciding what is right and wrong

9. Dimensions of Consciousness
• Conscious - contains the information that a person is aware and can
readily recover
• Preconscious - information that the person is almost consciously
aware but is out of mental awareness
• Unconscious - information that a person is not aware of

10. Techniques Used in Psychoanalysis
• Association - encourages the patient to discuss what comes to mind
to overcome the patient’s tendencies to suppress or censor
information
• Dream Analysis - analyze elements of dreams that contain symbolic
meaning
• Confrontation and Clarification -- feedback procedures to help the
patient become aware of what is occurring and in need of further
analysis
• Interpretation - involves providing insight to the patient regarding
inner conflicts reflected in resistance and transference among others