Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud Facts

Born on May 6th, 1856, Sigmund Freud was raised by a wool merchant father and coddling mother. Although Sigmund was his mother’s first child, he had 2 half-brothers from his father’s previous marriage. Eventually, he became an older brother to 6 younger siblings. Freud’s family lived in Moravia (Czech Republic) until they moved to Vienna (Austria) when Freud was around 5 years old.

Freud continued to live in Vienna for most of his life until he immigrated to England before World War II as an adult. The reason for this sudden immigration is that Freud was Jewish and feared for his safety under Hitler's regime. In Vienna, Freud excelled in his early studies, which led to him being mentored by Ernst Brücke, a physiology professor.

Through Brücke’s mentorship, Freud received grants to perform research under scientists and psychologists like Dr. Joseph Breuer. Breuer and Freud conducted a case study on mental health treatment with a patient of Breuer's known as Anna O. (Anna’s real name was Bertha Pappenheim!).

Freud married a woman named Martha Bernays in 1886, and together they had 6 children: 3 girls and 3 boys. His youngest daughter, Anna Freud, also became a well-known psychologist by expanding on her father’s theories and work.

Sigmund Freud, pixabay.com

Sigmund Freud’s Theory of Personality

As mentioned earlier, Freud developed the Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality. This specific theory of personality revolves around the unconscious mind which Freud defines as any internal mental activity outside of our conscious awareness.

The Unconscious, Conscious, and Preconscious

In his theory, Freud strongly believed that every personality is influenced by the unconscious mind. At the same time, many people lack understanding of why they behave the way they do. In other words, because we are not mentally aware of our unconscious mind, we may never fully understand the reasons for our behavior.

Along with the unconscious mind, Freud also talked about the conscious mind and preconscious mind. The conscious mind is the exact opposite of the unconscious because it is everything that we know is happening inside our minds. As you are reading this sentence, you are conscious of your mind processing the words you are reading and making sense of them. You are aware of what the words mean (if you are paying attention!).

The preconscious mind according to Freud consists of everything that can easily be brought into conscious awareness, such as our memories. Memories are a great example of our preconscious because they are information that we store away but can recall when we want to.

The Id, the Ego, and the Superego

Now that we have covered the unconscious mind, we can discuss the three components that Freud believed influences our personality: the Id, Ego, and Superego. According to Freud, the relationships between these three parts are crucial to understanding why we behave, think, and feel in certain ways.

The Id is fully unconscious, meaning that no part is ever within the conscious or preconscious mind.

It is motivated by pleasure (food, water, safety, and even sex). With that in mind, the Id is controlled by the pleasure principle and, if our desire for pleasures goes unmet and grows out of control, it will cause problems in the person's life.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the partially conscious Ego. Unlike the Id, the Ego is controlled by the reality principle which works to achieve what the Id wants but in an appropriate manner.

The Superego resides mostly in the unconscious and preconscious mind; this is the component of our personality that strives for perfection. If we are unable to achieve that, then we feel guilty or remorseful for not meeting those standards.

So how do these 3 parts of personality contribute to who we are? According to Freud, there must be a healthy balance between all three components so that our personality and behaviors are reflected in a way that is socially acceptable and “normal."

Freud's 3 parts of personality, StudySmarter Original

Importance of Sigmund Freud’s Theory

While many critique Freud’s theory of personality, it is still important to psychology. It was the very first comprehensive psychological theory of personality to be developed! It attempts to explain why we behave the way we do.

What happens if Freud's 3 parts of the personality are unhealthy or unbalanced? What if someone has a dominant Id that overpowers both the Ego and Superego, for example? Freud thought that this would result in impulsivity and poor decision-making. The pleasure principle would be stronger than the reality principle, causing the person to pursue pleasures in dangerous or inappropriate ways.

All three parts must work together so that a person can properly fulfill their desires and needs. Freud’s theory of personality is also important because it is the foundation for his theory of ego defense mechanisms.

Sigmund Freud's Theory of Defense Mechanisms

Using what you have learned about the Ego, is it true or false that the ego has to balance the demands of the Id? If you chose “true," you are correct! However, what happens when the Id's desires are too strong or the Superego is too demanding? Well, the Ego will react by becoming anxious and overwhelmed, which will eventually lead the Ego to become defensive.

Freud theorized that the Ego’s defense against the Id's demands can show up in specific ways in a person's life. He called these ego defense mechanisms, and he believed they are all unconscious or automatic. The defense mechanisms are a way of trying to protect ourselves from the Id's instincts and the Superego's demands.

In the chart below are three defense mechanisms with definitions and examples.

Sigmund Freud Experiments

In 1884, Freud released a paper detailing the positive effects of cocaine on relieving symptoms of mental and physical ailments. Freud bolstered his claim by admitting to his use of cocaine to treat headaches and anxiety. However, due to immense backlash, Freud had to shelve the study because of a spike in cocaine use and addiction after its publication.

Nevertheless, Freud did have other successful experiments. Freud believed that the main goal of any therapist was to get the client to express repressed thoughts, emotions, and memories so that they can be acknowledged on a conscious level (remember, repression occurs unconsciously). Freud tested his ideas about treating mental disorders by holding long sessions with clients in an apartment that functioned as his office.

His approach to treatment, known as psychoanalysis, was the very first therapy approach ever developed.

Sculpture of Freud's Couch, wikimedia.commons.org