A Little Information on the Father of Psychology and His Theory of the Self

 Sigismund Schlomo Freud (1856 – 1939)  Jewish, Austrian  Founded the discipline of psychoanalysis  Most famous for his theories of the unconscious mind and repression  Proposed that sexual drives were the driving forces of human behavior (i.e.: Oedipus Complex, Castration Anxiety, Penis Envy)  Used free association, transference and dream interpretation as means to uncovering the unconscious mind  Most popular form of therapy was psychoanalysis until the 50’s worldwide! (“Father of Psychology”)

 Today, many critics question Freud's theories and classify them as being too limiting to practice, for some of the following reasons:  1) The women Freud saw were predominantly rich, upper class; suffering from 19 th century sexual repression  "Women oppose change, receive passively, and add nothing of their own," he wrote in a 1925 paper entitled "The Psychical Consequences of the Anatomic Distinction Between the Sexes."  2) Many sessions lasted over the course of numerous years!  3) A large gap between patient and doctor (lacking interaction)  4) Too much emphasis on childhood as a personality test, and not enough on present-day patient experiences

 Theory of the self (Id, Ego, Superego)  Phallic/Uteran symbols

 Id:  Ego:  Superego:

 A symbol is sensorial and concrete in itself, although the idea(s) it represents may be relatively abstract and complex.  Has multiple meanings and some resemblance to what it is supposed to represent  In most cases it’s an unacknowledged idea or one we are not conscious of.  They appear in thought most readily when the we are tired, experiencing neurotic problems, or dreaming (unconscious self).

 The phallus: all male power comes from the penis  Phallic Symbol: anything oblong, vertical  Uteran Symbol: anything boxy, enveloping, enclosed