Psychoanalytic Theory

A detailed Summary of Psychoanalytic Theory


When the id's desires come into conflict with the superego's admonishments, the ego may use any one or more of a series of defense mechanisms to deal with the struggle. Included among Sigmund and Anna Freud's defense mechanisms are repression, projection, denial, reaction formation, displacement, rationalization, compensation, and sublimation. Unpleasant memories or urges are often repressed, hidden below conscious awareness. Yet repressed memories and urges lurk and may emerge in other forms such as phobias, neuroses, or behavioral dysfunctions. Suppressed memories are similar but are consciously rather than unconsciously removed from awareness. Projection occurs when the person projects undesirable or socially unacceptable thoughts or emotions onto others: such as a person who feels like the whole world is against him when he himself harbors the anti-social tendencies.

An individual may also use denial as a defense mechanism: simply by pretending a problem does not exist. People often deny drug and alcohol addition, for example,


At the same time, too many social controls and the creation of an overly-strict superego also leads to significant problems. The repression of all id impulses can lead to reaction formation and other defense mechanisms. Ideally, the superego permits the fulfillment of many of the id's impulses, so long as those impulses do not conflict with the reality principle.

Freud's concept of penis envy is one of his most controversial theories. The theory may account for some of the conflicts women and their mothers experience with each other because Freud postulated that all females seek to replace and dominate their mothers. However, the main way penis envy is evident in modern society is in the fact that sexism is still rampant. Women are taught from an early age that females do not occupy positions of power, do not become scientists, and can be dependent on men for meeting their needs. As a result, women might feel envious of men for their greater social, political and economic power.

Human beings, unless they live in total isolation

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