Sigmund Freud was a pioneer in the study of unconscious mental activity. His theories on the inner workings of the human mind are now accepted by most schools of psychological thought. In 1896, Freud created the term "psychoanalysis," and later he developed its main principles, objectives, techniques, and methodology of psychoanalysis.

Psychoanalysis is a set of psychological and psychotherapeutic theories and associated techniques, created by Austrian physician Sigmund Freud and stemming partly from the clinical work of Josef Breuer and others. Over time, psychoanalysis has been revised and developed in different directions. Some of Freud's colleagues and students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Jung, went on to develop their own ideas independently. The Neo-Freudians included Erich Fromm, Karen Horney, and Harry Stack Sullivan

Psychoanalysis focuses on the unconscious aspects of personality. According to Freud the human mind is like an iceberg. He believed that the conscious level of the mind was similar to the top of the iceberg which could be seen, but the unconscious was mysterious and was hidden.

In An Outline of Psychoanalysis Freud explains the principles of the psychoanalytic theory. He begins with an explanation of the three parts of the psychic apparatus — the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is the unconscious part that contains the instincts. The ego has the quality of being conscious and is responsible for controlling the demands of the id. It serves as a link between the id and the external world. Finally, the superego, whose demands are managed by the id, is responsible for the limitation of satisfactions and represents the influence of others, such as parents, teachers, and role models, as well as the impact of racial, so­cietal, and cultural traditions.

Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality has had a major impact on our understanding of our human makeup. Freud argued that the human personality results from a dynamic struggle between inner physiological drives (such as hunger, sex, and aggression) and social pressures to follow laws, rules, and moral codes. Furthermore, Freud proposed that individuals are aware of only a small portion of the forces that drive their behaviour. From his perspective, humans have a conscious, preconscious, and unconscious mind. This idea — that much of what propels humans to action is a part of the unconscious mind and not available for scrutiny — revolutionized the perception of the human personality.

Psychoanalytic thought had a major impact on marketing in the 1950s. Advertising firms hired psychoanalysts to help develop promotional themes and packaging to appeal to the unconscious minds of consumers. Psychoanalytic theory emphasized the use of dreams, of fantasy, and of symbols to identify the unconscious motives behind a person's actions.

As a therapy, psychoanalysis is based on the concept that individuals are unaware of the many factors that cause their behavior and emo­tions. These unconscious factors have the potential to produce unhappiness, which is expressed through a number of symptoms such as diffi­culty in relating to others, or problems with self-esteem. The basic ob­jective of psychoanalysis is to remove neuroses and thereby cure pa­tients by returning the damaged ego to its normal state.

The method of psychoanalysis has several steps. First, analysts gather material from patient's free associations, dreams and slips of the tongue. Second, analysts begin to form hypotheses about what hap­pened to the patients in the past and what is happening to them in their daily life. If analysts reveal their conclusions to patients too soon, resis­tance due to repression will occur. Overcoming this resistance requires additional time and effort by both the analysts and the patients. Once patients accept the conclusions, they are cured.

The value of psychoanalysis as a theory and as a therapy has been questioned since the early 1900s. Critics dispute the value of the data upon which Freud based his theories; and the method and effectiveness of psychoanalytic treatment. However, we should not forget the revolutionary introduction of the unconscious aspects of personality in the discipline of psychology.

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions

1. What term did Freud create and developed in the field of psychology?

2. What does psychoanalysis focus on?

3. How did Freud describe a human mind?

4. What are the three parts of the psychic apparatus, according to Freud?

5. Which part of the psychic apparatus has the quality of being conscious?

6. Which part of the psychic apparatus represents the influence of others?

7. Which part of the psychic apparatus contains instincts?

8. What concept is psychoanalysis based on?

9. How can unhappiness be expressed?

10.What is the basic objective of psychoanalysis according to Sigmund Freud?

11.What are the main steps of psychoanalysis?

12.Why do patients have to reach conclusions on their own?

13.When is the patient considered to be cured?

14.How did some psychologists criticize psychoanalysis?

15.What was revolutionary about the method of psychoanalysis?