Sigmund Freud
Definition
An Austrian neurologist who founded psychoanalysis. He proposed theories about the role of the unconscious mind, childhood experiences, and sexuality in influencing human behavior and development.
Analogy
Consider Freud as an archaeologist but instead of digging up ancient ruins or fossils, he digs into the human mind uncovering hidden thoughts and emotions that influence our actions without us even realizing it.
Related terms
Id, Ego & Superego: These are three parts of the psychic apparatus defined by Freud which describes different aspects of personality; Id being primal desires, Ego being realistic/practical aspect and Superego being moral conscience.
Oedipus Complex/Electra Complex: These are controversial theories proposed by Freud suggesting that during certain stages of childhood development children have subconscious sexual attachments towards their opposite-sex parent while viewing same-sex parent as a rival.
Psychosexual Stages: According to Freud these are five stages (Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency and Genital) of childhood development each characterized by sexual pleasure in different parts of the body.
"Sigmund Freud" appears in:
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Practice Questions (17)
How did Sigmund Freud influence the evolution of modern psychology?
How has Sigmund Freud's theory of psychoanalysis been evaluated by later generations of psychologists?
Which aspect most challenges the validity of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory?
According to Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory, what is likely the cause if a child develops an overly strict super-ego?
What is a key critique against Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory regarding its application to neuroscience?
Which statement best illustrates the psychoanalytic theory of dreams as proposed by Sigmund Freud?
What is a valid critique of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory?
How did Sigmund Freud's theory impact our understanding about the biological bases of memory?
Which critique best applies to Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory regarding motivation?
Why would Sigmund Freud’s psychosexual theory be considered deterministic?
What did Sigmund Freud call his technique that involves saying everything that comes into your mind even if it seems unimportant or nonsensical?
According to Sigmund Freud's psychosexual stages of development, what results from being overindulged or under stimulated during the oral stage?
In terms of personality development, how does Carl Jung differ from Sigmund Freud?
If an anthropologist were studying Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, what topic might they be most interested in?
How would a staunch critic of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory potentially refute the fundamental concept of unconscious desires driving human behavior?
How does the humanistic perspective of personality theory diverge from Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic perspective?
What perspective introduced by Sigmund Freud suggested aggression is an instinctual response to frustration?
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