Psychoanalysis Roots, trunk, and branches Composed by Lucie Johnson 10/10/99, reviewed 10/18/00 Next

Yes, Virginia, there is an unconscious n Hypnosis demonstrates the existence of another consciousness level. n Charcot ( ), in Paris, viewed hysteria as a minor form of epilepsy. Only hysterics were hypnotizable. n Bernheim ( ), in Nancy, viewed hypnosis as normal. Emphasized post-hypnotic suggestion.

Next Hypnosis as a cure n Charcot brought about catharsis by duplicating, under hypnosis the original trauma that caused hypnosis. n Bernheim gave post-hypnotic suggestions that influenced behavior.

Next Freud ( ) and Hypnosis n From Charcot, Freud kept the notion of traumatic event and the notion of catharsis. n From Bernheim, Freud kept the notion of unconscious motivation. n From the phenomenon of hypnotic amnesia, Freud kept the notion of unconscious.

Next Studies in Hysteria n With Breuer( ), studied Anna O., aka Bertha Pappenheim (who became the founder of the field of social work) n Phenomena observed: spontaneous trances, pathogenic ideas, catharsis, transference, hysterical pregnancy

Next From hypnosis to free association n Freud was not a good hypnotist, hence got patients to relax instead. n Induced free association by putting his hand on the patient’s forehead. n Theorized that, since the patient would remember what happened, the cure would be more stable than a hypnotic cure.

Next Freud and Darwinism: the interpretation of dreams. n Freud’s breakthrough was his work on the interpretation of dreams (1900). n Dreams are universal -hence the unconscious is universal. n Dreams, in their LATENT CONTENT (as opposed to manifest content) reflect the workings of unconscious motivation.

Next Organization of the personality n In everyone then, there exists a primitive, instinctual layer of thought: the ID, which seeks to satisfy itself (pleasure principle). n The ID then encounters a limiting reality, and the EGO develops. n The EGO encounters a limiting social reality, and the SUPEREGO develops.

Next There is always conflict n Health is a balance between the ID and the SUPEREGO. n The superego can be too weak or too stringent.

Next Freud and the theory of recapitulation n The id, for Freud, reflected a more primitive way of thinking. Primitive societies function more according to the id. n The superego builds civilization. n The child reflects this species development in his/her own development.

Next Stages of development n Oral n Anal n Phallic (Oedipus and Electra conflicts) n Latency n Genital

Next Death and life n In the later part of his career, Freud also emphasized the notion of LIFE instinct or EROS (in which he subsumed the LIBIDO -lit: I want- issuing from the ID) n He also developed the concept of DEATH instinct or THANATOS, a deep destructive tendency. In final analysis, he said, life is a detour toward death.

Next Freud and Adler n Adler: main motive is escape from death n This results in a quest for power n Notion of inferiority and superiority complexes. n Dreams etc… are a quest for mastery n Notion of social interest

Next Freud and Carl Jung n Jung extends the notion of unconscious to the concept of COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS (in addition to the Freudian personal unconscious). n There is an archetypal level in the collective unconscious. n Both types of UCS reflect themselves in life.

Next Jung and development n As an individual matures, the various archetypal aspects of his/her person come out and become more balanced. n Not everyone is meant to be like everyone else. Personality types (currently reflected in the Myers-Briggs test): E vs I, S vs N, T vs F, P vs J

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