SOCW 6060 Evaluating Psychoanalytical Theory

SOCW 6060 Evaluating Psychoanalytical Theory

Discussion: Evaluating Psychoanalytical Theory

Sigmund Freud is often hailed as the father of psychoanalytical theory. His theory was the first to point to the influence of early childhood experiences. However, psychoanalytical theory has received a lot of criticism. Although theories are supposed to be objective and value-free, they are developed within a sociocultural and political context. For example, with historical perspective, it is possible to see that values within the Western Victorian era influenced Freud as he developed his theory. Another criticism is that many psychoanalytical concepts cannot be measured. For example, how do you measure the id, ego, and superego or the notion of unconscious conflicts? As a result, it is difficult to test the accuracy of these concepts using social science research methods.

It is important to critically evaluate theories for their practical use. For example, is it appropriate to use a theory when working with diverse populations or with populations different from those with whom the theory was normed (e.g., women, racial and ethnic minority groups, those who are economically disadvantaged)? Finally, are the assumptions of theories consistent with the values underlying the field? In this Discussion, you respond to some of these concerns.

To prepare, read the following from the Learning Resources:

•        Auld, F., Hyman, M., & Rudzinski, D. (2005). How is therapy with women different? In Resolution and inner conflict: An introduction to psychoanalytic therapy (pp. 217–236). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
•        National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Retrieved from https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English

Post:

•        Summarize the assumptions of Freud’s psychoanalytical theory in 2 to 3 sentences.
•        Explain whether you believe it is appropriate to apply psychoanalytic theory to women and individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups.
•        Explain whether you believe psychoanalytic theory is consistent with social work values and social work ethics.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Evaluating Psychoanalytical Theory

Introduction

Psychoanalytic theory is the most dominant theory in psychotherapy. It is based on the work of Sigmund Freud and his followers, who theorized that human behavior stems from our childhood experiences.

Main theories

The main psychoanalytical theories are:

• Freud’s theory of the unconscious is based on the idea that human behavior is motivated by unconscious drives and conflicts. The unconscious mind contains repressed memories, thoughts, urges and desires that are not available to conscious awareness.

• Jungian psychology focuses on dreams as a means of understanding personality development. It includes archetypal symbols such as anima (feminine) or animus (masculine), which represent our instinctual energy or creative drive; persona (masculine) or animus (feminine), representing how we present ourselves to others; shadow self/shadow ego/anima/animus complex, which represents all parts of ourselves which we reject for one reason or another; shadow self-identification with parent figures at an early age; identification with parents during adolescence when they may be unavailable due to employment situations etc., making them into something inhumanly perfect from young adulthood onwards in order for us not only accept them but also protect ourselves from feeling inferiority towards these people by projecting onto them qualities we wish we had within ourselves.”

Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud was a neurologist and psychotherapist whose work in psychology is credited with laying the foundation for psychoanalysis. In his theory of personality, he argued that there are two types of consciousness: the conscious mind (or ego) and the unconscious mind (or id). The ego has access to reality through its senses; it can discern what is true or false about objects in the outside world through logic. In contrast, the id operates on instinctual drives; it wants things because they feel good to us—for example, eating food feels good because we need energy from food to survive!

The unconscious mind contains all sorts of hidden thoughts and feelings that we don’t want other people knowing about us yet we still experience them strongly when they come up unexpectedly during daily life events such as talking on a phone while driving down highway

Ego

The ego is the part of the mind that mediates between the id and superego. It is a symbol for reality, and it deals with punishment/pleasure. In Freudian theory, the ego is believed to be responsible for our ability to recognize reality and make decisions based on this recognition.

The ego can also be thought of as having two parts: a conscious side (which knows what’s going on) and an unconscious side (which doesn’t know everything). The conscious part knows about its desires; however, there may be other people involved who don’t want those same things for themselves—or even worse yet: could even hate them! This is because some people have psychopathic tendencies or have been victims themselves at some point in their lives…

Superego

The superego is a part of the mind that develops early in life. It’s responsible for moral judgment and conscience, which can be thought of as an internalized version of what society expects you to do. The child’s relationship with his or her parents will influence this development, as well as other factors such as peer pressure and what happens in school or at work.

Criticisms of Psychoanalytical Theory

Freud’s theories are not supported by the evidence.

Freud’s theories are sexist, homophobic and racist.

Freud’s theories do not stand up to scientific scrutiny: they were based on his own experiences, which he claimed were universal, but research has shown that his theory does not hold up under scrutiny. For example, one of Freud’s major claims was that children do not have any sexual feelings until puberty – a claim which was challenged by both clinical psychologists and paediatricians who found no evidence supporting this view (see Compton & Feldman-Sumner 2004). Today we know that most children experience sexual arousal when they see their parents having sex or other adults engaging in sexual acts (Grossman & Weissman 2005).

The origins of human nature (nature vs. nurture)

The origins of human nature (nature vs. nurture)

The debate on the role of heredity and environment in child development is one that has been going on for centuries. It has gone through many iterations, with new factors being added to the mix as new scientific discoveries were made, but it still remains one of the most contentious topics within psychoanalysis itself. Theories about child development have traditionally been based on correlational studies—studies that show correlations between parental upbringing or other conditions and behavior among children—and then trying to determine whether those correlations result from genetics or environment alone. For example: if you have a parent who was abused as a child, will this cause your own abuse? Or will it cause you not to become an abuser because you didn’t grow up around abusers yourself?

Psychoanalysts argue that there isn’t enough evidence yet to say definitively whether any particular given factor causes what we see when we look at personality types; thus they tend toward a more flexible approach where each person’s background plays into their development differently depending upon how well-adapted it was for them (and thus how well adapted they were able to handle life).

Trials and Tribulations of the Unconscious Mind

The unconscious mind is not reliable. The unconscious mind is the source of many dreams, many repressed memories and irrational fears.

In fact, it can be said that all human behavior can be explained by the unconscious mind: from our tendencies to become addicted to drugs or alcohol; from our tendency towards violence; from our inability to keep secrets from others (this includes keeping secrets from yourself).

The Unconscious Mind Is Not Reliable

The unconscious mind & repression

In psychoanalytic theory, the unconscious mind is a source of mental activity that is not immediately conscious. It can be thought of as being just beneath our conscious awareness and it’s important to keep in mind that different theorists use different terms for this part of us.

Unconscious thoughts and feelings are not always negative or harmful; they may actually be helpful or right for us at certain times in our lives (or even daily). These hidden parts of ourselves are often called “subconscious” because they aren’t necessarily accessible by our conscious minds—we have to work harder to access them than other parts of ourselves!

Unreliable recollections and the unreliable unconscious

The unconscious mind is not reliable.

It’s a well-known fact that the unconscious mind can be quite unreliable, and it’s also true that you can never really trust what your unconscious says. This means that when you ask it questions about something, you may get answers that are not completely accurate or truthful—or at least not completely trustworthy.

The Oedipus Complex, incestuous desires and child abuse to avoid this temptation

The Oedipus complex is a theory that explains how boys and girls develop an unconscious desire to sexually possess their parents. It is believed that at some point in his/her development, a child realizes that he/she has been raised by two people who are not biologically related to him or her. This realization leads to the development of an intense desire on the part of the child (the Oedipal phase) to take revenge against this separation by killing his/her father, who will then become his mother’s husband (and thus destroy any chance for incestuous relationships).

Incestuous desires often result from an unconscious wish for closeness with someone who does not provide it; this can lead one back through time until reaching one’s earliest memories, where all along there has been nothing but loneliness and rejection from those closest around us.

Psychoanalytical theory has both strengths and weaknesses

Psychoanalytic theory is based on observations of patients and their behavior. It’s not based on experiments, it’s not falsifiable (it can’t be disproven), and it’s not testable. Theories are also not predictive (they don’t tell us what will happen next), parsimonious (theories are limited to things that are important in understanding human behavior), or comprehensive explanations for human behavior.

Psychoanalytic theories do have strengths, however: they’re flexible enough for different situations; they allow for integration between different aspects of psychology; and they build on our knowledge from previous studies in psychology—which means that psychoanalytic theories help us understand how we behave as individuals as well as groups of people with commonalities such as gender, race/ethnicity etc., all at once!

Conclusion

The importance of psychoanalysis isn’t just in what it can tell us about human nature or how we should live our lives, but also in the way that it has shaped our culture. As an art form, psychoanalysis has been around since the early 1900s and is still alive today as an influential force in society. It may seem foreign today, but when you consider how many people have gone through psychoanalytical therapy only to emerge changed from their experiences with this method of treatment—and even those who didn’t—you realize just how important psychoanalysis was at its peak!