Freud’s theory of Psychosexual Development Essay

I get out begin my try on by issuelining Freuds theory of Psycho infixed maturation and I will and whence go on to evaluate how far this serve up us to visit a thickenings presenting issue. Freuds theory of psycho sexual activityual beginment begins with the belief that forgiving bes be purely driven by biology, in the social class of the libido or sexual energy. The driving force of the libido is divided up into five exemplifys, he urges, and our early experiences during infanthood ar responsible for the development of a healthy somebodyality, or if any soul were to experience trauma during these arranges then it would result in disruption in the pincers personal development and the nestling whitethorn be rally stuck in this decimal point, resulting in neurosis. This five symbolises of sexual libido argonThe Oral pegleg from birth to more or less 18 months is where the child directs all its aid to the embouchure in the attain of sucking, eating an d drinking. If stuck in this horizontal surface the guest whitethorn still like to put on their mouth a lot, resulting in the node presenting with e reallyplaceeating, drinking, smoking or talking The Anal Stage from somewhat 18 months to iii years is where the child directs their attention to the elimination of waste, and of the touch perceptions experienced by the expelling of waste. This is in any case the stage where the child number one experiences an element of go through over themselves, as to where they excrete or and and so wh diethyl ether or not they excrete their waste product. The child learns that he washstand use his bodily functions to chivvy attention from his c ber by excreting on the level so adeptr than in the potty. Clients stuck in the anal stage whitethorn be either anally retentive or expulsive in personality. Those that argon anally retentive separates ar peremptory and like to puzzle everything in army they whitethorn suffer from OCD and have quick outbursts of anger. Anally expulsive individuals tend to be untidy and disorganised.The Phallic Stage from about three to five years is where children become aw ar of their genital regions. This is the stage where the child starts to become awargon of the differences between manly and egg-producing(prenominal) genitalia, and their energy is spent undressing themselves, and whitethornhap opposites, in rules of prescribe to explore these differences. It is in addition the stageof manipulating the genitals and the discovery of pleasure in doing so. It is during this stage that the Oedipus appointment arises the belief that a son has incestuous cravings for his m early(a) and views his gravel as a rivalry for this mettle. The boy excessively fears his father, as his father is big than him in all ways including his penis. Freud walld that the boy feels castration anxiety at this stage as a result of repressed sexual desire for his mother. If the boy has the correct parenting at this stage, then the boy identifies with the father and comes to have harmless affection for the mother. The Electra difficult is the feminine counterpart. It is based on the view that from each one girlfriend wants to possess her father and re rank her mother. A priapic mend contri scarcee lead to an individual with a conceited, homosexual, egotistical or overly sexualised personality that may lead to serial marriage, polygamy or polyandry.The phallic fixation tends to use sex to discharge emotional strain and will often have sexual relationships that are superficial and lacking in honey and affection The Latency Stage from five years to adolescence. In this stage, sexual motivated needs sub fount as the child focuses their attention on developing other skills needed for their survival. A child stuck in this stage may have issues appointing sexual relationships and have vexation expressing themselves sexually, leaving themselves and or their partn ers sexually unfulfil lead. The Genital Stage from adolescence to adulthood. During the onset of adolescence, the child moves from self-love or narcissistic love to diverting this love to others. It is argued by psycho healers that are advocates of this theory that individuals disrupted during the Genital stage may result in sexual disorders such(prenominal) as fetishes and paedophilia. According to Freud, only symptoms can be modified, and not the doings of the thickening this can be through in deuce ways 1. Lessening of the loudness of the unconscious urges, by bringing them to the consciousness or by strengthening the defences against them.An example of lessening the lymph glands conduct is by encouraging a node to leave a job where war-ridden urges were continually be aroused by an dictatorial boss. 2. Alternatively the leaf node can act out their urges in a more acceptable and symbolic way. An example creation that anal urges can be expressed through pottery, as an alternative to fecal play. Feminists would argue that Freuds theory concentrates on staminate sexual development, and provides little in misgiving female sexuality. Freuds written report has alsobeen criticised for over fiercenessing sex drive and little else in order to prize a clients presenting issue. Carl Jung and Fromm, two students of Freud, concur with this statement, plainly used Freuds civilise to develop their feature theories, which I outline below. Carl Jung (1875 -1961) believed that that the libido was not besides sexual energy, but instead generalised psychical energy. The purpose of this psychic energy was to motivate the individual in a number of ways, including spiritually, intellectually, and creatively. It was an individuals source for seeking pleasure as intimately as reducing conflict. Jung placed greater emphasis on the unconscious than Freud he argued that the psyche was composed of three components. firstly, he believed that the ego is conscious , because people are aware of their own thoughts, memories and emotions. The unconscious mind, Jung believed, was split into two parts (the remaining two components) The personal unconscious, which is the corresponding as Freuds belief, in that it consists of repressed memories. Jung explained an weighty feature of the personal unconscious called complexes. A complex is a collection of thoughts, feelings, attitudes and memories, which focus on a single concept. The more elements attached to the complex the greater its influence on the individual. The second deeper level is the joint consciousness. This level of unconscious is shared with other members of the human species, comprising of latent memories from our ancestral and evolutionary past (The form of the humans into which a person is born is already inborn in him, as a realistic image Jung, 1953). Jung called the ancestral memories and images archetypes. For Jung, our primitive past becomes the dry land of the human psych e, directing and influencing present behaviour.Important archetypes acknowledge the persona, or our social mask, just like an sketcher in a play Anima/Animus, or our male and female sides this comes from living side by side with the opposite sex for centuries the shadow, similar to Freuds ID, comprised of our fauna urges or survival and reproduction. Jung argued that the mental development of both sexes was undermined as the development of western parliamentary law has led to the devaluation of feminine qualities over the predominance of the persona, leading to insecurity. Jung agree with Freud that a persons past and puerility experiences determined future behaviour, but he also believed that we are shaped by our future aspirations too. Erich Fromm (1900 1980) differed with the Freudianemphasis on unconscious drives. Fromm argues that a persons drives were not purely biologic he believed that man had free survival to decide on whatever action he felt charm and therefore guided their own destiny. Fromm saw conflict arising within the individual, when they had to weigh up the freedom of choice with the fear of uncertainty, when making these decisions. As a sociologist and psychologist, his theories unified both psychology and Marxist Historical Materialism.Fromm argued that each socio sparing class fosters a particular guinea pig, governed by ideas and concepts that justify and maintain the socio economical system. Fromm believed that the unique graphic symbol of human existence gives rises to eight basic needs. Firstly Unity, as human beings have lost their headmaster oneness with nature, they need to relate in order to overcome their isolation. Secondly their relatedness with others, care, respect and knowledge. Thirdly universe need to transcend their own nature, as intumesce as their passivity and randomness of existence, which can be accomplished either positively, by loving and creating, or negatively, through hatred and destruction. Fou rthly the individual also requires a sense of rootedness or belonging, in order to gain a feeling of security, and sense of identity. fifthly the sense of identity which is expressed non-productively as contour to a group and productively as an individual. sixthly is need is for orientation course understanding the world and our place in it. S correctthly is excitation and stimulation or actively striving for a goal rather than simply responding.Eighthly is effectiveness the need to feel accomplished. This penchant can be achieved either through concentration (relating to things) or socialisation (relating to people). Fromm identified several character Orientations in Western Society. Authoritarianism when an individual cannot come to terms with this freedom, he could avoid his responsibilities by withdrawing infra the protection of someone or something else. Examples of this include God, a specific political leader of party, an institution of even ones carer. Receptive Orient ation this is everyday in a monastic order which encourages exploitation of the individual, who then seeks solace in affection and related comforts, such as eating, where the individual can only make up and not give. Exploitative Orientation the defence being the aggressive possession of goods, usually those of others.Examples being the dirty money of goods in historical times, or in more modern times, thosenations that seek the territories and chattels of others. Productive Orientation which donates love and tolerance towards others, and an acceptance of their freedom, with the ability to use this orientation to their advantage, without harming others. Hoarding Orientation the I want I need ordination, based on material wealth. If one owns objects, then the individual can be seen, at least in his eyes, as clever and powerful. These individuals are threatened by the outside world and cannot share. merchandising Orientation this is people copying or being influenced by the media and advertising by wearing the in style(p) fashions. Individual personal qualities are redundant over what looks good. The individual sees themselves as a commodity to be bought and sold. Fromm added two further statesNecrophilous character- attracted to deathBiophilous character haggard to life.According to Fromm, gaining independence from ones parents leads to a profound sense of loneliness and isolation, which the individual attempts to nonpayment by establishing some type of bond with society through social conformity and submission to authority. By relating both Jung and Fromms act to our clients, they have make us aware of the clients wider world or heritage into which he or she is born. Jung would argue that a Muslim woman may have low self-esteem and isolate herself from others, but these presenting issues are more down to the clients incorporated consciousness than their childhood. In this case, Jung helps us as therapist to understand that the clients neurosis may not arise from bad parenting, but from something autochthonic based upon evolution within the individual. Fromms Socio- economic theories also provide us with insight of the clients wider world, and how neurosis can arise cod to external economic forces that drive the clients neurosis in an exploitative and materialistic society that values things over the human existence. Both would argue that it is our environment rather than biology that constrains us, in the form of society and horticulture.For Jung and Fromm, in order to understand the clients presenting issue, we must also understand their culture and the way in which they relate to the economic society into which they are born. An alternative view to Freuds psychosexual development is that of the Behaviourist approach. Behaviourists believe that what is learned can be unlearned. Skinner built upon the workof Pavlovs classical learn experiments (1927) and his use of dogs as subjects, and the smallish Albert experime nts of Watson and Rayner (1920). To further these experiments, Skinner (1938) designed a raise up box and, by using rats, he showed that by using both positive and negative reinforcements, he could change the behaviour of the rats, as their behaviour is change by consequences. He called this Operant Conditioning to which he identified three responses Neutral Operants responses from the environment that incomplete increase nor cliff the probability of a behaviour repeated. Reinforces responses from the environment that increase the probability of a behaviour being repeated this can be ether positive or negative Punishers Responses from the environment that decrease the probability of a behaviour being repeated.punishment weakens behaviour. Skinner concluded that there was a legal philosophy of Effect, and that by using reinforcement, behaviour tends to be repeated, part behaviour which is not reinforced tends to die out. As human beings, we often respond to verbal Operants by taking advice, listening to the warnings of others and by obeying given rules and laws. This helps us understand the development of children, as the feelings associated with behaviour are controlled by conditioning. If the child has been positively rewarded, then the child is more likely to repeat those behaviours happily and willingly, feeling that they are doing what they want to be doing. If on the other hand the child avoids these behaviours due to negative reinforcement, they will be inclined to feel that their freedoms are being repressed, resulting in feelings of negativity, which could led to depression or anxiety. The work of Skinner, Pavlov, Watson and Rayner has led to the development of different coverments, such as Cognitive behavioural therapy and talking therapy that will help you manage your problems by changing the way you count and behave, commonly used to treat anxiety, depression and phobias but can be useful for other cordial and physical health problems.In c onclusion, Freuds work on psychosexual development does help us in part to understand a clients presenting issue, by understanding that their behaviour may very well stem from how their parents handled the childs psychosexual development. By accepting this assertion, it also helps us to understand that what we, as society, view as very disturbing or deviant behaviour can arise from childhood trauma. This allows the therapist, and society, to be more compassionate to such clients. An example of this is that Freud stated that homosexuality is uncomplete a sinful nor a criminal act, but rather a condition that arose from childhood biological and psychological factors, and was just a variation of the sexual function, and because of this is could not be treated by punishment or therapy, but should just be accepted. Freuds work, as already discussed, is limited in understanding the clients total world, further we must understand that Freuds work was the first of its kind in understandin g human psychological development, and was written at a time when just about adults probably were sexually repressed, as well as viewing homosexuality as sinful.The later work of others, including Jung and Fromm, built upon his work, to help us understand the clients presenting issue in a wider context. They widened our material view of the client by demonstrating how neurosis of the individual may also arise due to internal factors of the collective consciousness, arising from cultural and social heritage, or by external factors, such as how the client relates to the economic environment into which they are born. The work of the behaviourists also helps us to understand that any negative social conditioning also plays its part in understanding the clients presenting issue.As a final note, we must remember that it is the job of the therapist to use the work of others as a tool to understanding the clients own world in order to get enough understanding of the clients perspective in relation to their own presenting issue. This understanding helps facilitate the client in coming to their own conclusions as to how best to tackle their own presenting issue, either by managing their condition from the Freudian perspective, or service them change their own perspective and/or behaviour, as argued by the behaviourists.BibliographyWhat Freud Really Said David Stafford-Clark (1996)1935 Freuds letter response to a mother asking him to treat her homosexual son. (1935) Handbook of Individual Therapy Edited by Windy Dryden (1990) Counselling for Toads Robert De Board (1998)McLeod, S.A (2008)