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Sigmund Freud And The Human Psyche

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Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist who studied in various subjects such as philosophy and physiology (Freud 1992). Freud was the founder of psychoanalysis with his methods still being used in the field of psychology, which highlights the pathological processes in mental life. The most important aspect of Freud’s ideas was the human psyche (personality) has more that has more than one aspect. Freud (1923) separated the psyche into 3 sections known as the Id, Ego and superego whereby they develop during different stages of our lives. Accordingly to Freud’s model, the id is the “instinctual and primitive” part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives which contains hidden memories (Sletvold 2013 pg.1022). Sletvold (2013) …show more content…

Garcia (1995) describes that it is through psychosexual activity where a human being establishes important interpersonal connections and an infant is contended with libidinal tensions (sexual drives of life components). Oral is the first stage of Freud’s psychosexual theory which of 0-1 year of the infant and engages in how the mouth is the pleasure centre for development. Freud believed that children were born with a sucking reflex and therefore desired their mother’s breast which gives psychological benefits as the child is being nourished on nutrients. This then indicates how Freud’s theory influences health and social needs during the first stages of child development. Moreover, it is suggested that Natalie’s mother may not have breast fed her child as Garcia (1995) further explains a child may develop negative habits if the oral needs are not met during infancy and could affect the next stages of a child’s development. The second stage anal develops during 1-3 years of age where children learn thee control their bodily functions manifested in toilet training. Garcia (1995) discusses that improper resolution at this stage whereby the parents are toilet training their child too early, may possibly result in a child who is uptight and overly obsessed with order; meaning that if unpathetic and frustrated parents/guardians deal with the infant harshly, exposure, shame and negative feelings of invasion maybe become associated with a natural body function.

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