Numerous psychologists from earlier times have shaped our understanding of psychology today. This article will explore three of the most prominent 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 who made several significant observations, but the ones examined in this article will focus on his theories surrounding the conscious and unconscious mind, psychosexual development, dream analysis, and psychoanalytic theory. Freud proposed that the mind consisted of three distinct components: the id, ego, and superego. The id represented hidden desires driven by human instinct, whereas the superego embodied the adherence to societal rules and morals. The ego served as a mediator between the two, striving to realistically satisfy both. Furthermore, Freud indicated that the ego was formed during childhood at the age of three, and the superego was established at five, as the final component. Freud asserted that anxiety, neurosis, and destructive behavior resulted from an imbalance among these components. His subsequent theory of psychosexual development was regarded as an uncomfortable and contentious concept, claiming that adult behavior and personality stemmed from psychosexual stages of growth during childhood. This implied that a child would seek pleasure-inducing urges from the id in specified body areas known as erogenous zones. These stages included oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital. Freud conjectured that issues arising during childhood would resurface, leading to mental disturbances in adulthood. In Freud’s publication: The Interpretation of Dreams, he proposed that dreams originated from the unconscious mind, symbolizing the id’s unmet desires attempting to surface into the conscious. The rationale behind unrealistic dreams was believed to be a means of fulfilling improper wishes, utilizing symbolism to mask and obscure what was considered inappropriate. Consequently, Freud devised various approaches to interpret and comprehend dreams. These techniques included condensation, displacement, representation, and secondary revision. Lastly, the psychoanalytic theory thoroughly explained human behavior. Similar to psychosexual development, Freud noted that early childhood experiences influence adult personality, particularly regarding trauma. He speculated that these experiences might be hidden within our consciousness, potentially causing problems later on. Hence, he established psychoanalysis, as delineated by the psychoanalytic theory, a technique of verbal therapy to assist individuals with mental illness by delving into these suppressed emotions. Due to his contributions, he is referred to as the ‘father of psychoanalysis’.
A concept within psychoanalysis is defense mechanisms, which are unconscious strategies aiding the ego, the reasoning aspect of the mind, in alleviating anxiety caused by internal conflicts. These internal conflicts arise between the impulses expressed by the id and the moral standards of the superego, which functions as a self-critical conscience. These internal struggles and the strategies employed by the ego are considered the motivating force behind one’s behavior, as they reveal how an individual unconsciously shields themselves from emotional distress and conflict. Generally, the ego modifies or redirects the thoughts and emotions prompted by the id to align with the superego. Common instances of this include projecting the id’s impulses onto others, enabling the mind to persuade the superego that it surpasses such primal urges. Another defense mechanism is displacement, where someone redirects unacceptable thoughts and emotions, often anger or jealousy, towards an object or individual perceived as an acceptable target for the ego/superego. An alternate type of projection is sublimation, where an individual channels their unconscious urges into constructive and deemed ‘healthier’ or more ‘acceptable’ activities. For instance, a surgeon might be sublimating unconscious aggression by performing surgeries intended to heal individuals.
Freud formulated the notion of an unconscious life “drive” or instinct referred to as libido, which was said to energize or support the mental processes in the id. This instinct aims to evade emotional or physical pain, fulfill basic physical needs, and address other such primal urges. This instinct constitutes the second core principle of Freudian psychoanalytic theory, suggesting that all human behavior is motivated by sexuality; in this framework, sexuality encompasses anything that can provide pleasure to an individual. As is true for numerous elements of psychoanalysis concerning the unconscious, this instinct is countered by the ego or superego, with this struggle governing aspects like impulse control. For example, an individual with an overactive libido and a poorly developed superego may lack remorse or critical reflection regarding the effects of their actions in pursuit of their unconscious desires.