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Freud's Theory of Psychosexual Development

Freud's Theory of Psychosexual Development

Introduction

The study of the unconscious was pioneered by Sigmund Freud_ an Austrian Physician. Dealing with the human condition is very difficult. Freud was the first person who used nonmedical methodology so as to understand and then deal with the human conditions. During one of his practice related to the subject of neurology, the hyper patients just by the discussion about their childhood traumatic experiences got a relief from their indications of hypertension. The practice served as the starting point for the Freud's work on psychosexual development, and he devoted a major part of his life in developing a personality development theory that is very complex and controversial in nature. Psychoanalysis is a term that Freud used in order to identify and then provide treatment for his patient psyche problems.

This essay will sketch out the major psychosexual stages as proposed by Freud in his theory. The relation of the theory with the neurotic behaviour of adults is another focus of the essay. Some of criticism and the implication of the theory to therapy at present are also an important element of the discussion.

Discussion

Freud believes that an uncontrollable pleasure seeking position marks the entrance of a person in this world. The development theory of Freud has two main ideas: One is that the first few years of a person's life makes up the future personality of an individual, like the adulthood of a person is the reflection of his or her childhood experiences. The second idea is that the development story relates to the handling of a person's uncontrollable desires in a socially acceptable manner.

According to Freud, the first 5 years of a person's life are very crucial as the individual's personality is a derivative of the interaction of three areas of the mind. These areas are id, ego and superego. Id is the psyche's most basic part that is an inborn characteristic in a person but remains in unconscious. The pleasure principle is the basis of this id component where a person makes an effort to reduce the discomfort and increase the pleasure.

The second part of the psyche is ego. Children at the young age get recognition that they have their own desires, needs and wants. All these elements lead to the formation of ego. Reality principle forms the basis of this part of the psyche. It means that a child operates and recognizes the physical environment, and learns about the physical demands and try to get them fulfilled (Reber & Reber, 2001, pp.604). This ego helps in the development of a number of personality components such as planning, rational thinking, analytical or problem solving skills (Gross, 2005, pp.602).

At the age of four years, the development of the area of super ego takes place, whereby a child learns the acceptable behaviour and values of the society. Morality principle forms the basis for super ego in which a child try to understand what moral ...