Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis theory posits that childhood events significantly influence adult personality and behavior, with an emphasis on the unconscious mind's repressed desires affecting mental health. Freud describes the mind as structured into three layers: conscious, preconscious, and unconscious, and introduces the id, ego, and superego as components influencing behavior. While his theory provides insight into personality development, it is criticized for being unfalsifiable and unscientific.

1. PAPER-II
SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION
SEMINAR TOPIC-SIGMUND FREUD’S
PSYCHOANALYSIS THEORY
SANA FATIMA
M.ED (SEM-I) 2018-20
GHULAM AHMED COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION, BANJARA HILLS, HYD.

2. SIGMUND FREUD-PSYCHOANALYSIS THEORY
INTRODUCTION:
 Sigmund Freud (1856 to 1939) was the founding father of Psychoanalysis, a method for treating mental
illness and also a theory which explains human behavior.
 Freud believed that events in our childhood have a great influence on our adult lives, shaping our
personality. For example, anxiety originating from traumatic experiences in a person's past is hidden
from consciousness, and may cause problems during adulthood.
 Freud believed that people could be cured by making conscious their unconscious thoughts and
motivations, thus gaining "insight".
 The aim of psychoanalysis therapy is to release repressed emotions and experiences, i.e. make the
unconscious conscious.
 Psychoanalysis is commonly used to treat depression and anxiety disorders.
 It is only having a cathartic (i.e. healing) experience can the person be helped and "cured"
 STRUCTURE OF THE PSYCHE OR MIND:
 Freud, while explaining the structure of the human psyche or mind, divided it in two different it in two
different parts:
 first by arranging it into three layers as the conscious the subconscious and the unconscious
 second by postulating three other components, ‘Id’, ‘Ego’, and ‘Superego’
CONCEPT OF CONSCIOUS, SUBCONSCIOUS AND UNCONSCIOUS MIND:
 Freud developed a topographical model of the mind where why he describe the features of a mind
structure and function:
 Freud used analogy of iceberg to describe the three levels of mind.
 The upper layer or the surface represents the conscious mind, the main bed as subconscious or
preconscious, and the bottom as unconscious.
 The conscious mind lies just above the surface of the water like the tip
of an iceberg and occupies only one tenth of our total mental life.
 The ideas, thoughts and images that we are aware of at any moment of
our mental life lies within this upper layer of our mind.
 Just beneath the conscious layer lies the subconscious or preconscious
mind.
 This middle portion of our mind stores all types of information just
beneath the surface of awareness untapped which can be easily brought
to the level of consciousness at a moment’s notice whenever required.
Thus in the middle bed or layer of the human mind there lie all
experiences or knowledge which have been gained or learned by an
individual through various types of experiences or training.

3.  Below the subconscious mind lies the unconscious, the most important part of our mind. It is related
to the vast part of our mental life which is hidden and usually inaccessible to the conscious.
 It contains all the repressed wishes, desires, feelings, drives and motives. All these repressed and
forbidden desires and ideas are not destined to lie permanently in the unconscious. They strive and
agitate to come up to the subconscious or the conscious layers of the mind, sometimes in dreams.
 What we do and how we behave is always determined by the forces residing in our unconscious and not
by the choices of the conscious mind.
 The causes and forms of abnormal behavior and mental illness are also decided by what is hidden in the
unconscious mind and, therefore, the task of the psychotherapist consists of a search for the relevant in the
unconscious and bringing it up into the conscious.
CONCEPT OF ID, EGO AND SUPER EGO:
 Freud later developed a more structural model of mind comprised of Id, Ego and Super ego. These are
not physical areas within the brain but rather hypothetical conceptualizations of important mental
functions.
 ID-The Id represents the animal in man and is seated in the unconscious. It’s the source of mental
energy and of all instinctive energy of the individual.
 It operates according to the pleasure principle
 It is present at birth and has the qualities of a spoiled child that is it must get what it wants, when it
wants it. In this way Id is quite selfish and unethical. It knows no reality, follows no rules and considers
only the satisfaction of its own needs and drives.
 EGO- Ego develops from the Id during infancy. The Ego goal is to satisfy the demands of Id in a
socially acceptable way.
 It acts as an intermediate between three sets of forces that is instinctive, irrational demands of the Id,
realities of the external world and the ethical, moral demands of the super ego.
 In contrast to the Id the Ego follows the reality principle as it operates in conscious and unconscious
mind.
 SUPEREGO- The Super Ego develops in early childhood and is responsible for ensuring moral
standards being followed. The super ego operates on the morality principles and motivates us to behave
in a socially responsible and acceptable manner.
 Like Id, it is also seated in the unconscious but is not governed my man’s tendencies or primitive drives.
 It is realistic in nature, and perfection is its goal, rather than pleasure seeking or destruction.
 EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF FREUD’S THEORY:
 Children of elementary school age are fully prepared for intellectual experiences this interest are shifting
from parents and home to the peers, the school and outside world. Teachers should provide them with
richest opportunities for the development of intellectual capacity.
 If the modification of children remains below the conscious level, then the teachers should exercise
caution or restrain in giving reasons of such behavior because what they are serving in the overt(out

4. world what is seen) behavior of the children have links with the subconscious motivation. This has to be
kept in mind while rewarding or punishing the unusual behavior of the children.
 Observation of children play activities is important for studying their behavior.
 Some psychologists make use of play drawings, dreams and day reams in the treatment of children
called as ‘Psycho-analytic’ treatment.
 Satisfactory outcomes of the normal development of the children during early years results into the
development of normal individuals who are productive, adaptable, co-operative and dependable. This
will be possible only, if the teachers provide for the creative activities to the children so as to enable
them to channelize their raw biological urges.
 CONCLUSION:
 Freud theory of personality development, he believes that personalities developed through stages
during childhood. Freud believed that a child personality is developed through the gratifications from the
id, ego, and superego.
 Freud’s theory is good at explaining but not at predicting behavior for this reason Freud’s theory is
unfalcifiable- It can be neither be proved true or refuted.
 The unconscious mind is difficult to test and measure actively. Overall Freud’s theory is highly
unscientific.