Comparison of Theorists

Comparison of Theorists

Introduction

Since the mid of 1900's, many theorists have contributed to the development of contemporary psychology. They designed various approaches used for effective psychoanalysis of patients.

Psychoanalysis is essentially a method used to treat the mental disorders and related issues. This analysis technique fundamentally base on the psychoanalytic theory presented by Sigmund Freud (Eageton T., 1983). The theory was put forward in the early 20th century. The theory was then criticized, expanded and developed by later Psychotherapists. In this essay, we compare the theories of Carl Gutsav Jung, Alfred Adler, Karen Horney, and Erik Erikson with the fundamental Freud's theory.

Discussion

We briefly discuss and compare the theoretical perspectives of these psycho therapists.

Freud

For the theory of psychoanalysis, Freud proposed that the best way for looking at the human mind is to use a sexual perspective. The main extract of Freud's theory of personality, depends upon the classification of components of the human mind. According to him, these three components include Id, ego, and superego. The ID defines the person's desires to have pleasure. This component of the person's personality motivates him to consider immediate pleasure without considering the associated pain or problems. Superego is the component which forced the person to go for the perfect solution to any problem. Ego is the intermediate component which keeps the other two in balance. It makes the person to select the options which satisfy both Id and Superego to some extent but not completely, as it is not possible for anyone to satisfy these two completely.

Freud is also much famous for his theory of psychosexual development. This theory divided a person's life into 4 stages, including oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital. Oral stage comprises on the first year of baby's life when he depends upon the mother for his food, and she provides him the pleasure. If a baby gets rejection during this stage, he may grow up with the problems of mistrusting others, and various problems in forming relationships. Anal stage comprises when a person is between the age of 1 and 3 years, during this a person start learning to be independent, and express the negative feelings. Next stage, the phallic, includes the period of age 3 to 6. During this period the person has an unconscious desire to the opposite sex parent, but violates. This is the period when the sexual attitudes of a person develop. The age period from 6 to 12 years includes in the latency stage, in which a person's interests deviate from sexual to sports, friends, and school. The next stage is genital which starts at the age of 12. Until the age of 18, adolescents provides the sexual energy to the person and he finds himself interested in forming relationships, and developing career, also enjoying various hobbies. The same stage continues, but the person becomes more mature between the ages of 12 to 35 and, he continues to live with the themes “To live and to ...