Most contemporary psychoanalytic theorists believe that Sigmund Freud was a pioneering figure in the field of psychology. His theory of psychoanalysis proposed that unconscious memories, thoughts, and urges play a role in influencing human behavior.
One of Freud’s primary theories was his psychosexual theory of development. This theory states that a person’s development is based on their sexual needs and impulses during different stages of life. It suggests that the way a person develops depends on the satisfaction they receive from fulfilling these needs and urges. Freud thought that a person’s behavior and personality are shaped by the ways they experienced and responded to sexual desires in early life.
Freud also proposed that the ego, which is the conscious part of the mind, is responsible for imposing restrictions on the id, which is the part of the mind that contains a person’s most primitive impulses. The ego works to balance the desires of the id with the demands of reality. Lastly, Freud believed that the superego, the part of the mind that contains a person’s sense of morality, was developed as a result of a person’s experiences with authority figures throughout life.
Freud’s theories have been a major influence on many psychoanalytic theorists who have come after him. They continue to believe in the basic tenets of his theories and to utilize them in their work. Many current theorists have also built upon his theories to develop and expand them, and they are still used as a basis for understanding many aspects of personality and behavior.