The human psyche and psychology are complex areas of study, special in their individualism. But scientists have deduced the basic provisions regarding the development of the psyche in certain periods of life. Today's psychoanalysts, psychiatrists and psychotherapists use knowledge such as psychoanalytic theory, the main points of which are discussed below.
The origins of psychoanalysis
A man has long been interested in how, how, why people individually relate to the reality surrounding them, trying to influence it and perceive it in accordance with their personality traits. Psychology as a science appeared in the practice of the study of man more than 1000 years ago. But in its development, this branch of medicine is only at the initial stage of its development. The basis of psychology is philosophy, united by hundreds of years of practical research of man. As a science, psychology is closely intertwined with almost any other science that is subject to man. But such a relationship has a dual character, because psychologists themselves are developing in two directions - as an applied science and as a field of studying the mental activity of a person as an individual and as a component of society. Since ancient times, psychology was more a philosophical trend, only by the 19th century acquiring the features of applied science. From that moment, the psychoanalytic theories of child development, personality development, and the characteristics of the individual's behavioral facets are studied, helping specialists - psychologists, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts in their work.
The main stages of the formation of the science of the mental development of personality
Psychology today has applied significance as a field of medicine, philosophy, pedagogy, and other sciences. Psychoanalytic theories of development are of particular importance in working with the individual. Each such theory has its own nuances of explanation of the established personality and is developed by one or another specialist. But the history of this work proceeded in several stages. The most famous person whose name is associated with the study of the psychological characteristics of personality is Sigmund Freud. But studies of this facet of the human individual, akin to the concepts of psychoanalysis proposed by Freud, developed even before the 19th century. The future world-famous psychologist, neurologist and psychoanalyst himself trained at the Salpetriere Clinic in Paris with a neurologist and syphilologist Jean-Martin Charcot, who is deeply studying the neuropsychiatric disorder of paresis, as a result of syphilis. In 1985, the work of Sigmund Freud and Joseph Breyer, “Studies of Hysteria,” was published, which substantiates the origin of hysteria on suppressed memories of any unpleasant situations for the patient, most often based on sexual associations. This view of one of the psychic personality traits led to the fact that Freud turned away from the majority of the scientific elite, who exposed the beginning psychoanalyst as an ordinary charlatan.
In the same period, the future psychoanalyst tries to formulate, build in a logical chain the neurophysiological theory of unconscious mental mechanisms. This work remained incomplete, and the world learned about it only after the death of the scientist. Then Freud became interested in the symbolism of sleep, the result of these thoughts was the hypothesis that the unconscious, on which the plot of dreams is based, is the “primary process”, since it has a concentrated and symbolic content. The “secondary process," on the contrary, is based on logical, conscious content. This hypothesis became the basis of the monograph Interpretation of Dreams, published by Freud in 1900. A feature of this work of a psychologist, which found its development in a subsequent work, was chapter 7. An early “topographic model” is described here - because of social sexual prohibitions, unacceptable sexual desires are squeezed into the “unconscious” system, which becomes the basis of personality anxiety.
In our country, a widespread enthusiasm for psychoanalysis occurred in the 20s of the 20th century. Then the State Psychoanalytic Institute was opened in Moscow. But gradually, psychoanalysis ceases to be a direction of science, subject to persecution. Only at the end of the century did this field of human research regain life in Russian psychology and psychiatry. Currently, the areas of psychoanalysis have become an integral part of medical practice, and the theory itself is constantly supplemented by new theoretical developments. Psychologists unite around the world for high-quality scientific research of the human psyche. thus, for example, the problems of psychoanalysis are dealt with by the International Psychoanalytic Association, with about 12,000 members. Modern psychology operates more than one school of psychoanalysis, because Freud's students and followers organized their own schools and areas of study in this field of science, for example, Jung, Fromm, Adler.
Those who went further
The psychoanalytic theory of Z. Freud is the basis of one of the directions in psychology and psychiatry. But the psychoanalyst himself modulated his theory, and his followers put their own vision of the problem into the scientific concept. The most famous works of Freud's students - Carl Gustav Jung, Alfred Adler, as well as neo-Freudians - Harry Stack Sullivan, Erich Zeligman Fromm, Karen Horney. Based on the work of Freud himself and his followers in the formation of the principles of psychoanalysis, several areas of this teaching were created. They are as follows:
- The classical theory of drives (Z. Freud).
- Interpersonal psychoanalysis (G.S. Sullivan, C. Thompson).
- Intersubjective approach (R. Stolorow).
- Self-Psychology (H. Kohut).
- Structural Psychoanalysis (J. Lacan).
- Theories of object relations.
- School M. Klein.
- Ego Psychology.
Each of the above schools has its own nuances in substantiating the development of the individual's psyche. Basic psychoanalytic theories, from classics to underdevelopment, speak of their vision of the problem of psychoanalysis. Features of directions either complement the sources or contradict each other. In addition to the classical psychoanalysis developed by Sigmund Freud, Jung's psychoanalytic theory is popular both in practice and in theoretical study. It complements Freud’s work with the presence of the collective unconscious as a complement and continuation of the unconscious individual.
Freudian Psychoanalysis Algorithm
The classical psychoanalytic theory, the author of which is the world-famous psychoanalyst Z. Freud, involves work on a certain algorithm. The methodology was developed on the basis of a long, long-term work of a psychoanalyst and his students. Psychoanalysis builds on the following stages of work with the patient:
- The accumulation of material.
- Interpretation.
- Analysis of "resistance" and "transfer".
- Study as a final stage.
The result of the work of a psychoanalyst should be the restructuring of the patient's psyche. This technique was developed and put into practice by Freud himself and his followers. As the founder of the teaching said, in his practice there were more than 4 dozen clinical cases of psychoanalysis. 5 of them are widely known, each of which is associated with a particular manifestation of mental personality disorder. The psychoanalytic theory of personality development is used as a basis in modern practice, but has many additions and nuances developed both by Freud's followers and his opponents in matters of psychoanalysis as such. For many, the theory put forward by a neurologist and psychoanalyst is absolutely unacceptable, someone perceives it unconditionally, for others it has become a source for continuing the process of personality development.
Theory of personality structure
The psychoanalytic theory of Z. Freud in 1923 acquired a fairly clear structure. According to the psychoanalyst, psychiatrist and neurologist, the personality of each individual consists of three components:
- Eid (“It”) is the core of the personality, based on primitive drives to life, death. It is this foundation that is unconscious and submits to the principle of pleasure.
- Ego ("I") - this part of the personality is responsible for conscious thinking, human behavior, activates the protective mechanisms of the psyche, if necessary.
- The superego (“Super-I”) is a component of the Ego, the functional of which consists in self-observation and moral evaluation. Freud argued that this component of personality is formed as a result of the introjection of the images of the father and mother, as well as the parental value system.
The creation of a structural model of psychoanalytic theory was a huge advance in this area of ​​psychology and psychotherapy, allowing us to expand the range of mental disorders and tools for their therapy. The nuance of this sphere of studying the psyche of an individual has become a fairly free interpretation of its aspects even by Freud himself, not to mention his students, followers and opponents. The author of the psychoanalytic theory of development did not have time to finish work on its complete structure on all topics. His followers introduced their innovations into existing developments.
The main provisions of the analysis of the psychological state of personality
The psychoanalytic theory used in the practice of psychiatry and psychology basically contains the following provisions:
- the internal, so-called irrational drives of a person largely determine his behavior, which affects the acquired experience and knowledge of the world;
- these drives are not recognized by man, that is, unconscious;
- psychological resistance to unconscious hobbies leads to the activation of protective mechanisms;
- the events of early childhood have a role in the individual development of personality;
- Psycho-emotional disorders are basically opposed by a conscious perception of reality and unconscious material displaced from memory.
The author of the psychoanalytic theory of development, Z. Freud, believed that the essence of the help of a specialist lies in the awareness of the unconscious - as liberation from the influence of unconscious material.
Self defense
Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality describes the defense mechanisms by which the human psyche copes with one or another potential problem.
- Substitution - energy and emotions are redirected to a less dangerous object.
- Reactive education is an experience that, in the opinion of the individual, is not worthy of it, is suppressed, and then replaced by the directly opposite feeling.
- Compensation - an unconscious attempt to cope with real or imaginary shortcomings, can be both social and antisocial in nature.
- Repression is the forced transfer into the sphere of the unconscious of those subconscious drives and experiences that pose a threat to self-awareness.
- Denial - unwillingness to put up with existing reality.
- Projection - transfer to other people of their own experiences and qualities that are unacceptable both by society and by the person himself.
- Sublimation is the change in unacceptable behavior and goals to socially acceptable.
- Rationalization - other self-justification. The acts committed under the influence of the unconscious person is trying to rationally explain.
- Regression - a return to early forms of behavior, as people sometimes say, falls into childhood. This method of protection is mainly used by immature, infantile people, but in some situations quite normal adults can use it.
But not only the psychoanalytic theory of the development of Z. Freud contains a description of the protective mechanisms of the psyche. Other psychoanalysts, developing Freud’s theory or developing their own projects, expanded the list of self-defense of the individual’s psyche, which currently includes about 30 positions.
Stages of psychosexual development
A special place in psychoanalytic theory is given to psychosexual development. He received an explanation on the basis of changes in the biological functioning of the individual occurring with his growing up. Each stage of development has a clear time frame, and the experience gained at each time stage affects the character, values ​​and personality traits. The author of the psychoanalytic theory of child development, Sigmund Freud, identified five stages of the child's psychosexual development, called phases:
- From the moment of birth to one and a half years, a person lives the so-called oral phase. It is characterized only by desire - Id, since the basic instinct is the satisfaction of a natural physiological need, which is expressed in sucking. biting and swallowing.
- At the age of one and a half to three and a half years, the anal phase occurs during which the ego (I) is formed - the main requirement is to address the physiological need for emptying the intestines and bladder in the designated place - a pot, toilet bowl, due to which the ability to fulfill prohibitions is formed society.
- The period from three and a half to 6 years is characterized by the knowledge of one’s body and the clarification of one’s gender, which is why it is called the phallic phase. It is during this period that the child may develop the Oedipus complex or the Electra complex.
- A child aged 6-12 years develops physically, intellectually, his sexual development experiences a lull, so the phase is called latent.
- From the age of 12, the genital phase begins, a characteristic feature of which is the puberty, the first experience of sexual activity.
Facets of character
The psychoanalytic theory of Freud’s development, determining the stages of psychosexual development, stops the attention of psychologists on the character of each person, linking him with one or another phase of personality growth. The followers of Freud's psychoanalysis developed the concept of characterological types, linking personality traits with certain stages of psychosexual development. Otto Fenichel, a psychoanalyst known for his concept of neurosis development, identified several types of character:
- oral;
- anal;
- urethral
- phallic;
- genital.
Features of a particular type of Freud, Fenichel and other psychoanalysts are positioned as a connection with the characteristics of the development and upbringing of the child. All psychoanalytic theories of development, to one degree or another, are based on Freud’s work, taking into account the phases of the child’s psychosexual development from birth to puberty, which have a direct impact on his character.
Childhood as the basis of growing up
“We all come from childhood” - this famous phrase of the great French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery correctly reveals the memories of a person and his attitude to the surrounding reality from the moment of growing up to death. Psychoanalysis says the same thing not so romantically, separating the phases of childhood in accordance with the main points of development at each age stage. The author of the psychoanalytic theory of child development is a German neurologist, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. It was in his works that the psyche was structured and it was proved that the main influence on the development of a person is exerted by another person directly connected with the upbringing and training of a growing personality. Freud's work in this direction was continued by his daughter Anna. A feature of her work was the decision that the result of the conflict between the child’s internal instinctual drives and the restrictive requirements of the external social environment for him become the facets of the individual’s character. The child’s psyche develops as a result of the gradual socialization of the child, and at each period the notion that the desired pleasure does not always coincide with the real requirements of society is acquired. The task of parents and educators, as well as teachers, is to contribute to a more smooth perception of reality by qualitatively conveying certain requirements to a child and instilling life skills in society so that the child’s psyche does not suffer from the “I want” and “you can” mismatch.
The psychoanalytic theory of human development is a long-term, to this day, non-stop work of psychologists, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts. The scientific beginning was given by Sigmund Freud, continued by his students and followers. Today, many aspects of this doctrine cause a lot of controversy, but the theory of psychoanalysis is successfully applied in many methods of work to identify and treat mental disorders and diseases.