MODULE 5

FREUD’S PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. Explain Freud’s views about child and adolescent development.

2. Draw implications of Freud’s theory to education.

INTRODUCTION

Freud’s views about human development are more than a century old. He can be
considered the most well known psychologist because of his very interesting theory about
unconscious and also about sexual development. Although a lot of his views were criticized and
some considered the debunked (he himself recanted some of his earlier views). Freud’s theory
remains to be one of the most influential in psychology. His theory sparked the ideas in the
brilliant minds of other theorists and thus became the starting point of many other theoties,
notable of which is Erikson’s Psychosocial theory in Module 7.

DISCUSSION

As a person grows, the personality is also formed. Many psychologists present different
views about how personality develops. As mentioned Freud presents a very interesting theory
about personality, its components and development.

Freud is the most popular psychologist that studied the development of personality,
also probably the most controversial. His theory of psychosexual development includes five
distinct stages. According to Freud, a person goes through the sequence of these five stages
and along the way there are needs to be met. Whether these needs are met or not, determines
whether the person will develop a healthy personality or not. The theory is quite interesting for
many because Freud identified specific erogenous zones for each stage of development. These
are specific “pleasure areas” that become focal points for the particular stage. If needs are not
met along the area, fixation occurs. As an adult, the person will now manifest behaviours
related to this erogenous zone.

Oral Stage ( birth to 18 months ). The erogenous zone is the mouth. During this sage,
the child is focused on oral pleasures (sucking). Too much or too little satisfaction can lead to an
Oral fixation or Oral personality which is shown in an increased focus or oral activities. This
type of personality may be oral receptive, that is, have a stronger tendency to smoke, drink
alcohol, overeat, or oral aggressive, that is, with a tendency to bite his or nails ,or use curse
words or even gossip. As a result, these persons may become too dependent on others, easily
fooled, and lack leadership traits. On the other hand, they may also fight these tendencies and
become pessimistic and aggressive in relating with people.

Anal Stage (18 months to 3 years). The child’s focus of pleasure in this stage is the
anus. The child finds satisfaction in eliminating and retaining feces. Through society’s
expectations, particularly the parents, the child needs to work on toilet training. Let us
remember that between one year and a half ti three years the child’s favourite word might be
“No!”. Therefore a struggle might exist in the toilet training process when the child retains
feces when asked to eliminate, or may choose to defecate when asked to hold feces for some
reason. In terms of personality, fixation during this stage can result in being anal retentive, an
obsession with cleanliness, perfection, and control; or anal expulsive where the person may
become messy and disorganized.

Phallic Stage ( ages 3 to 6 ). The pleasure or erogenous zone is the genitals. During the
preschool age, children become interested in what makes boys and girls different. Preschoolers
will sometimes be seen fondling their genitals. Freud’s studies led him to believe that during
this stage boys develop unconscious sexual desire for their mother. Boys then see their father
as a rival for her mother’s affection. Boys may fear that their father will punish them for these
feelings, thus, the castration anxiety. This feelings comprise what Freud called Oedipus
Complex. In Greek Mythology, Oedipus unintentionally killed his father and married his mother
Jocasta.

Psychoanalysis also believed that girls may also have a similar experience, developing
unconscious sexual attraction towards their father. This is what is referred to as Electra
Complex.

According to Freud, out of fear of castration and due to the strong competition of their
father, boys eventually decide to identify with them rather than fight them. By identifying with
their father, the boys develop masculine characteristics and identify themselves as males and
repress their sexual feelings toward their mother. A fixation at this stage could result in sexual
deviancies (both overindulging and avoidance) and weak or confused sexual identity according
to psychoanalysis.

Latency Stage (age 6 to puberty). It’s during this stage that sexual urges remain
repressed. The children’s focus is the acquisition of physical and academic skills Boys usually
relate more with boys and girls with girls during stage.
 Genital Stage (puberty onwards). The fifth stage of psychosexual development begins
at the start of puberty when sexual urges are once again awakened. In the earlier stages,
adolescents focus their sexual urges towards the opposite sex peers, with the pleasure
centered on the genitals.

Freud’s Personality Components

The personality structures have three components according to Freud. These are the
id, the ego and the superego. For each person, the first to emerge is the id, followed by the ego,
and the last to develop is the superego.

The id. Freud says that, a child is born with the id. The id plays a vital role in one’s
personality because as a baby, it works so that the baby’s essential needs are met. The id
operates on the pleasure principle. it focuses on immediate gratification or satisfaction of its
needs. So whatever feels good now is what will pursue with no consideration for the reality,
logicality,or practicality of the situation. For example, a baby is hungry. It’s id wants food or
milk... so the baby will cry. When the child needs to be changed, the id cries. When the child is
uncomfortable, in pain, too hot, too cold or just wants attention, the id speaks up until his or
her needs are met.

Nothing else matters to the id except the satisfaction of its own needs. It is not oriented
towards considering reality nor the needs of others. Just see how babies cry any time of day
and night! Absolutely no regard of whether mommy is tired or daddy is sleeping. When the id
wants something, it wants it now and it wants it fast!

The ego. As the baby turns into a toddler and then into a preschooler, he/she relates
more with the environment, the ego slowly begins to emerge. The ego operates using the
reality principle. it is aware that others also have needs to be met. It is practical because it
knows that being impulsive or selfish can result to negative consequences later, so it reasons
and considers the best response to situations. As such, it is deciding agent of the personality.
Although it functions to help the id meet its needs, it always takes into account the reality of
the situation.

The superego. Near the end of the preschool years, or the end of the phallic stage, the
superego develops. The superego embodies a person’s moral aspect. This develops from what
the parents, teachers and other persons who exert influence impart to be good or moral. The
superego is likened to conscience because it exerts influence on what one considers right and
wrong.
The Three Components and Personality Adjustments

Freud said that a well-adjusted person is one who has strong eg, who can help satisfy
the needs of the id without going against the superego while maintaining the persons sense of
what is logical, practical and real. Of course, it is not easy for the ego to do all that and strike a
balance. If the id exerts too much power over the ego, the person becomes too impulsive and
pleasure –seeking behaviour takes over one’s life. On the opposite direction, one may find the
superego so strong that the ego is overpowered. The person becomes so harsh and
judgemental to himself and others’ actions. The person’s best effort to be good may still fall
short or the superego’s expectations.

The ability of a learner to be well-adjusted is largely influenced by how the learner was
brought up. His experiences about how his parents met his needs, the extent to which he was
allowed to do the things he wanted to do, and also how he was taught about right and wrong,
all figures to the type of personality and consequent adjustment that a person will make. Freud
believed that the personality of an individual is formed during the childhood years.

Topographical Model

The Unconscious. Freud said that most what we go through in our lives, emotions,
beliefs and impulses deep within are not available to us at a conscious level. He believed that
most of what influence us is our unconscious. The Oedipus and Electra Complex mentioned
earlier were both buried down into the unconscious, out of our awareness due to the extreme
anxiety they caused. While these complexes are in our unconscious, they still influence our
thinking, feeling and doing in perhaps dramatic ways.

The Conscious. Freud also said that all that we are aware of is stored in our conscious
mind. Our conscious mind only comprises a very small part of who we are so that, in our
everyday life, we are only aware of a very small part of what makes up our personality; most of
what we are is hidden and out of reach.

The Subconscious. The last part is the preconscious or subconscious. This is the part of
us that we can reach if prompted, but is not in our active conscious. Its right below the surface,
but still “hidden” somewhat unless we search for it. Information such as our telephone number,
some childhood memories, or the name of your best childhood friend is stored in the
preconscious. Because the unconscious is so huge, and because we are only aware of the very
small conscious at any given time, Freud used the analogy of the iceberg to illustrate it. A big
part of the iceberg is hidden beneath the water’s surface.
 The water, may represent all that we are not aware of, have not experienced , and that
has not been made part of our personalities, referred to as the nonconscious.

Freud’s Conception of the Human Psyche

( The Iceberg Metaphor)
NAME: COURSE/YEAR &BLOCK:

ACTIVITY 5A

Recall a recent incident in your life when you had to make a decision. Narrate the
situation below. Indicate what the decision was about, the factors that were involved and how
you arrived at your decision.
NAME: COURSE/YEAR & BLOCK:

ACTIVITY 5B - GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

Fill out the graphic organizer below to highlight the important concepts of Freud’s
theory:

• .Erogenous Zone
• Description of the Stage
• Fixations
Oral Stagel

•.Erogenous Zone
•Description of the Stage
•Fixations
Anal Stage

•.Erogenous Zone
•Description of the Stage
•Fixations
Phallic Stage

•.Erogenous Zone
•Description of the Stage
Latency •Fixations
Stage

•.Erogenous Zone
•Description of the Stage
•Fixations
Genital Stage
ACTIVITY 5C – Research Connection

Read a research that is related to Freud’s Theory. Fill out the matrix below.

Problem Research Methodology

Findings Conclusion