Analysis of Psychoanalysis Theory - Research Paper Example

Analysis of Psychoanalysis Theory Personality is defined by Nevid (2009 p. 477) as “a set of psychological characteristics and behavior patterns that make individual unique and accountable for consistency of behavior over time.” As such people portray different behaviors in a consistent manner to develop own identities. No two individuals are the same as each has unique qualities. Behavior is influenced genetics and the environment although the behavior may also influence the environment. To some theorists behavior is developed over time from childhood to adulthood owing to cognitive development among others. Personality has been studied by many theorists but the systematic study of personality according to Engler (2009 p. 33) begun with Freud’s development of psychoanalysis at the end of nineteenth century and his work continues to influence in all social sciences, literature, art and religion. His theory focuses on the unconscious ad is based on the belief that human behavior is influenced by unconscious forces rather than free will. He also believes that personality is divided into three structures: Id, ego and superego. He also believes that personality development occurs in five stages: oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital stage (Myers, 2004). Freud also stresses the role of defense mechanisms such as repression, denial, regression and sublimation in curbing anxiety. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the psychoanalysis theory of personality development. This will entail explaining the personality development function created by fraud by first explaining how the unconscious is made more conscious through dreams and slips. The personality structure will be discussed and attention given to how individuals use different defense mechanisms to restraint the unconscious from getting to the conscious thus avoiding pain and anxiety. It will also discuss how the theory helps individuals to understand their sources of conflict by discussing the psychosexual stages of development. The psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud originated from his hypnotic works which he conducted on patients with his partner Bauer. During these works he discovered that individuals had hidden materials in their unconscious mind. Through free association whereby patients are asked to say anything that comes in their mind however silly it may look, he discovered that these small things have causes and motivations (Engler, 2009). By connecting these pieces one is able to tome up with a narrative that describes the motive of the individuals and can also realize what individuals have kept in their unconscious mind. Another important thing that Freud discovered was the usefulness of dreams and slips. He believed that individuals in their dreams expressed unfulfilled wishes hence gave the causes and motives of behavior; “it is the royal road to unconscious” (P. 35). He divided dreams into two: latent and manifest dreams. Manifest dreams are those people remember on waking up while latent dreams are the meanings of a dream or the motive behind manifest dreams. They thus need critical evaluation in order to understand and bring the unconscious to conscious. Some of these materials are repressed by individuals so as not to suffer but in dreaming they slip out and give the character of the person. According to Freud slips occur when ego and superego are not functioning properly thus exposing the id or unconscious (Nevid, 2009). All the events for Freud have more than one meaning and no one acts out of free will; rather, individuals are influenced to act by unconscious forces and these can only be revealed through a long chain of associations. Freud views as consisting of three structures which influence personality development and make individuals to understand the source of their conflicts. These consist of the id, ego and superego. The id operates on the pleasure principle and in the unconscious mind (Friedman & Schustack, 2011). As such children try to avoid pain and gain pleasure by gratifying their needs in whatever method even if it is irrational. For example, if a baby feel hungry he/she will suckle the breasts to satisfy hunger and if they feel like peeing they do so without thinking of implications. Their behaviors at this level are driven by internal and basic drives and are instinctual such as hunger, sex, and thirst. It is satisfied through primary processes which do not distinguish wish-full images and real objects in the external world (Engler, 2009). For example, a child can result to thumb sucking if she feels hungry instead of suckling thus these processes are not effective in reducing tension. This also has effect in understanding certain things that happened in the past once they grow up as the events they recall may be imagined or real. The next structure is the ego. Ego bridges the gap between the id and superego by helping children to act rationally through reality principle (Myers, 2004). Ego satisfies the id through secondary processes thus allowing children to delay their gratification to an appropriate place and time. For example, children are toilet trained to exercise restraint and pee at the required place. According to Engler (2009 p. 48) the ego is the primary executor in well-adjusted personality as it governs and controls id and superego. It mediates their needs and the external world. The superego on the other hand, operates on morality principle or morally accepted standards in the external world. It does not act instinctually like id but it acts in socially acceptable ways. It entails the internalized values, ideals and moral standards (Ewen, 2003). As such individuals are able to discern what is right or wrong as dictated by society and acting contrary to those understands attracts a feeling of guilt that forces the individual to comply. It is a source of pride and conception of who we should be hence creating an ideal self-image for ourselves. According to Engler (2009) superego is necessary since id’s demands may be too strong for child and the ego too weak to prevent them from acting on their impulses. In this case, the child does not use impulse or realistic solutions to fulfill needs but does what is morally acceptable. However, moralistic demands may be too strong just like those of id thus make individuals to act irrationally. In this case, the ego is essential in helping to lessen the tension and accept reality. Though the ego is effective in cooling the id and superego sometimes the feelings are overwhelming thus necessitating defense mechanisms to assist it to function. However, these mechanisms if used for long may also become destructive thus preventing further personal and social development (Engler, 2009; Friedman & Schustack, 2011). Some of the common defense mechanisms used to cope with anxiety include repression, denial, projection, regression, rationalization, sublimation and displacement. Repression involves blocking a wish from expression thus preventing individuals from remembering traumatic events. Some people tend to deny the reality so as not to suffer while others attribute the behavior to someone else or something in the environment or blame game thus projection of anxiety (Engler, 2009). Some children tend to regress to past behaviors while others use rationality to explain behavior. For example, one may argue that since others do it, there is no reason to feel guilty about it. Displacement is where one shifts impulse to another object such as hitting whoever is near us thus releasing anger. One can also choose to rechannel impulse into socially acceptable behaviors in a mechanism referred as sublimation. All these mechanisms help children to deal with what is recovered form the unconscious that may result in pain and anxiety thus they may as well remain hidden forever. These affect the personality of individuals as they develop and this explains why individuals use defense mechanisms to avoid facing reality. Freud also explains that individuals undergo through different stages of psychosexual development where conflicts are understood and resolved and failure to move to the next stage can result into fixation (Ewen, 2003; Myers, 2004). The first stage according to Freud is the oral stage where the mouth is the center of focus for the child. It uses to discover new objects and explore the world through ingestion, suckling and biting. Since restraints are placed on them by parents; for example, children are stopped from sucking thumbs it results in pleasure and conflict. Pleasure is obtained through sucking while a conflict occurs through restraint. The second stage is anal stage and develops in the second year. Here children result to activities of the anus and is characterized by toilet training (Myers, 2004). All the activities involving pleasure such as peeing and pain such as hitting as means of discipline are experienced in the anus or buttocks. According to Freud, it is the first attempt to regulate instinctual impulses thus moving from id to ego. Pleasure and pain are thus experienced in form of retention and expulsion thus influencing future traits. People acquire skills of self-control and mastery at this stage. The third stage is phallic stage where Oedipus complex is experienced. This is three to six years of age and all attention is drawn to the genitals. Boys are attracted to their mothers while girls to their fathers but eventually they manage to relate with the same-sex parents. Conflict occurs when feelings of love and hostility are expressed towards the same parent (same-sex) and resolved when child is able to relate with that parent (Engler, 2009). The next is latency stage where nothing new really happens. The last stage is genital stage experienced in adolescence and where impulses are satisfied realistically. The genitals have already matured and id behaviors are reborn but this time they are realistically satisfied not like in id where hallucination may occur (Ewen, 2003). At this stage children associate with peers of the opposite sex but if they do not develop from latency stage, they may continue associating with same sex peers. However, they use socially acceptable ways to fulfill their desires hence have gained the superego structure. References Engler, B (2009) Personality Theories. 8th ed. Boston, MA: Houghton Miffin Harcourt. Ewen, R (2003) An Introduction to Theories of Personality. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum. Friedman, H.W and Schustack, M.W (2011) Personality: Classic Theories and Modern Research. 5th ed. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon Myers, D (2004) Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers. Nevid, J (2009). Psychology: Concepts and Applications. Boston, MA: Houghton Miffin Read More