Various psychologists from history have contributed to our understanding of psychology in the present day. This article will explore three of the most significant psychologists: Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and Abraham Maslow. Sigmund Freud was born in May 1856 in Austria to Galician Jewish parents. He was a neurologist known for many notable insights, but this article will focus on his theories regarding the conscious and unconscious mind, psychosexual development, dream analysis, and psychoanalytic theory. Freud’s conception of the mind suggested it consisted of 3 distinct parts: the id, ego, and superego. The id represented hidden passions, driven by human instinct, while the superego represented adherence to societal norms and ethics. The ego functioned as a mediator between the two, striving to realistically satisfy both sides. Furthermore, Freud identified that the ego was formed during early childhood at age 3, while the superego emerged at age 5, becoming the final component of personality. Freud posited that anxiety, neurosis, and maladaptive behavior resulted from a disparity among these parts of the mind. Freud’s subsequent theory of psychosexual development was regarded as uncomfortable and controversial, asserting that adult behavior and personality stem from psychosexual stages encountered during childhood. This implied that children sought pleasure-related impulses from the id through specific body parts, labeled as erogenous zones. The stages included oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital. Freud theorized that issues experienced in childhood could resurface, causing mental distress in adulthood. In Freud’s work, The Interpretation of Dreams, he argued that dreams originated from the unconscious, reflecting the id’s unmet desires attempting to penetrate the conscious. The nature of a nonsensical dream was thought to fulfill inappropriate wishes, utilizing symbolism as a means to obscure what is considered unsuitable. Consequently, Freud devised numerous techniques to analyze and interpret dreams, including condensation, displacement, representation, and secondary revision. Finally, the psychoanalytic theory elaborated on human behavior, noting that early experiences shape adult personality, particularly regarding trauma. He theorized these experiences might remain hidden in our consciousness, potentially leading to future difficulties. Thus, he pioneered psychoanalysis, as denoted by the psychoanalytic theory, a form of talk therapy aimed at treating mental illness by investigating these hidden emotions. Due to his contributions, he is often referred to as the ‘father of psychoanalysis.’
One aspect of psychoanalysis is defense mechanisms, which are unconscious tactics that help one’s ego, the rational part of the mind, manage anxiety arising from internal disputes. These internal disputes occur between the impulses conveyed by the id and the moral standards of the superego, which serves as a self-critical conscience. Such internal conflicts and the strategies employed by the ego are believed to be the motive behind one’s actions, as they illustrate how a person generally protects themselves from emotional distress and conflict. Ordinarily, the ego modifies or redirects the impulses and emotions generated by the id to align with the superego. Common examples include projecting the id’s desires onto others, allowing the mind to persuade the superego that individuals are above such primal urges. Another defense mechanism is displacement, where individuals direct unacceptable thoughts and feelings, often anger or jealousy, toward a person or object that is seen as a permissible target for the ego/superego. An alternative version of projection is sublimation, in which one channels their unconscious urges into more constructive and ‘healthier’ or more ‘acceptable’ activities. For instance, a surgeon may be sublimating unconscious aggression into performing surgeries designed to aid patients.
Freud introduced the notion of an unconscious life force or instinct termed libido, which was said to energize or support the mental functions of the id. This instinct aims to evade emotional or physical discomfort, satisfy fundamental physical needs, and fulfill other primal drives. This instinct constitutes the second core principle of Freudian psychoanalytic theory, positing that all human behavior is driven by sexuality; within this framework, sexuality encompasses anything capable of providing pleasure to an individual. As is true for many elements of psychoanalysis related to the unconscious, this instinct is often countered by the ego or superego, where the ensuing conflict influences facets such as impulse control. For example, an individual with an overactive libido and an insufficiently developed superego might exhibit a potential lack of remorse or reflection regarding the consequences of their actions taken to satisfy unconscious desires.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a widely recognized theory that delineates the motivations of individuals, commencing with basic needs and progressing to more intricate concepts. Developed and presented by American psychologist Abraham Maslow in 1943 and