Psychoanalytical Theory and Determinism versus Choices - Research Paper Example

Psychoanalytical Theory Psychoanalytic Theory Introduction The psychoanalytic theory is built on the theme of the resistance founded on the perception of the opposition of the patient when trying to make him conscious of the unconscious. Precisely, the theory emphasizes the roles of the intra-psychic events and unconscious drives as well, as early childhood development (Frosh, 2012). For this reason, the psychoanalytic theory remains influential to our understanding of the mind and human behavior. In particular, it provides a source of ideology for ideas considering the therapeutic practice, but offers a number of dramatic insights on the study culture and the society. The psychoanalytical science applied to the cultural facts draws from Freud’s study called Totem and Taboo. Specifically, he relies on the knowledge extracted from applying psychoanalysis to neurosis therapy. In particular, childhood experiences include repressed erotic feelings and unconscious conflicts which affect the entirety of adult behavior. According to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, the human mind is under the control of instinctual and irrational forces (Frosh, 2012). Apparently, humans are selfish and driven by the need to pleasure themselves. Consequently, this is in contrast with the logic part of human thinking and presents the human state on external and internal stimuli. Distinctively, Freud’s view of the human perspective is that it is dominated by forces which are beyond the conscious control. Therefore, human beings are also considered to be incapable of dealing with their psychological problems. Determinism versus choices Freud emphasized the psychological over the biological asserting that a behavior is determined or caused by force within the individual. Apparently, behavior has meaning where the simplest examples of human behavior are traced to psychological factors where the person may not be aware of what they are doing or that it is linked to a primal need for something (Corey, 2012). The Structure of Personality According to Freud, the individual has a number of interrelated phases. Exclusively, personality develops out of personal struggle as concerns meeting needs in a world which is normally harsh (Corey, 2012). Therefore, the structure of personality is divided into three parts including the id, the ego, and the superego. The id This is an unconscious energy usually referred to the psychic energy. Precisely, this is where the libido resides, including basic instinct, impulses and desires that every person is born with. The id seeks the immediate satisfaction and operates with pleasure being the main requirement. For this reason, it is that part of human personality that wants whatever it wants at whichever time at that immediate moment. Particularly, this could rage, desire, or any other raw emotion that people experience. Apparently, the id is divided into two; the Eros represents the energy for preservation of oneself or love toward oneself. On the other hand, the Thanatos, which is self-destructive and negative toward oneself. In the second part, aggressiveness is the main theme (Corey, 2012). The ego This part of the human personality is on the reality principle and understands the needs and desires of others. As the authority figures place restrictions on the expressions brought forward from the id, the ego develops the id or rather comes in between it and the society. The ego makes a compromise between the id’s demands on the human body and the constraints of the real world (Corey, 2012). It is the responsibility of the id to meet its needs while considering the ostensible reality of the situation. Specifically, the ego is what provides us with the logic that we use to interpret the world. Therefore, we use the ego as the main mediator to perceive the world and control the information relayed to us by our senses and impulses. The superego Supposedly, the superego develops during the phallic stage of the child. Specifically, this is the moral part of our being that advances moral and ethical restraints placed on us by the environment. In this context, the environment, society and educational institutions are the parents that teach us the history and mode of operation of the world. Consequently, there are some who equate the superego with the conscience (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). According to Freud, this is because it is how we dictate what we believe about right and wrong. Probably, this is the closest part of the ego because their functions are similar, although it incorporates the emotions about ethics. In addition, the things which are allowed to be done translated via the superego make us feel good while doing wrong results in a feeling of guilt. In this regard, the superego incorporates the norms of the society. The most important function of the superego is to help the ego control the impulses coming from the id. Specifically, it represses a lot of sexual, aggressive and antisocial instincts. Under the id, introjection is a process where the personality incorporates the norms and standards of culture. Precisely, it is argued that the principle of morality is the equivalent to conscience and pride comes from the ego ideal. Accordingly, this represents pride and self-respect through positive standards of internal representations of the parental figure (Corey, 2012). Freud Stages of Psychosexual Development This is probably the most controversial theme, and it is based upon Freud’s idea that people develop through in phases based upon the erogenous zones of a human body. The first is the oral stage. The instinct is centered on the mouth as the infant derives pleasure from the oral cavities when they are sucking or chewing. The feeding activities are very important, especially when a baby is weaned early (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). In particular, this creates an unfinished state and may end up in the person being too dependent upon people in their later years. The next stage is anal, during the years of 1 to 3. Here, the infant gets their sexual gratification through voluntary defecation and urination (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). Specifically, this is a crucial stage for organizational tendencies of the individual. If the baby is punished too hard for soiling themselves, they may become too inhibited during their adulthood. Here, the converse also applies because a baby that overindulges may later become messy or wasteful. The phallic stage occurs during 3 to 6 years (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). The pleasure is derived from genital stimulation. This is where Oedipus complex comes in as the child has incestuous desires for the parent of the opposite sex. Distinctively, the Oedipus complex applies to the male children. In the case of the female child, they experience an Electra complex that means an incestuous desire for the father. The anxiety that comes from this internal conflict makes the children learn very early about the roles of their sexes and moral standards of the same sex parent. They begin to emulate the characteristics of this parent and learn the basics of what is means to be their sex. Latency happens during the years of 6 to 11 where the trauma of their phallic stage causes a sexual conflict to be repressed, and sexual urges channeled toward other things. Considering the modern world, this is the formative years of schooling and the child focuses their energy on friendship as well as school while growing apart from their parents. The final stage is the genital stage from the ages of 12 onwards (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). Here, puberty starts and reawakens the sexual desires that were channeled elsewhere. The adolescents now learn through their own means how to express their desires for the opposite sex. However, this is done through the means which are acceptable to the society. Hopefully, if all of the developmental stages went well, then a mature sex instinct is satisfied by getting a compatible partner during or after puberty, leading to marriage. Conclusion At the present, there are few developmental enthusiasts in the psychological field who share Freud’s views. However, the strongest theme that Freud brought up through the psychoanalytic theory was the concept of the unconscious motivation that people experience. Specifically, he stated the majority of the psychic experience lies below the level of conscious awareness. In particular, this is the region of our motivation that is not available to us as individuals. Freud initiated this study of the emotional side of human development when people became interested in the influence of early development in the later progress (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). Despite the contributions that he has made in this field, there are a lot of contemporary developmental enthusiasts who reject the psychoanalytic perspective because the propositions put forward by Freud are quite difficult to falsify or confirm. For example, there is no way to test whether the id, ego or superego are true. References Corey, G. (2012). Theory & Practice of Group Counselling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning. Frosh, S. (2012). A Brief Introduction to Psychoanalytic Theory. Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Shaffer, D. R. (1999). Developmental Psychology: Childhood and Adolescence. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole Pub. Read More