Essay on Why Is Freud Criticized - 1143 Words

Sigmund Freud is highly renowned psychologists known for his most controversial theories in the history of psychology. He is also believed to be the father of modern psychiatry and psychology. His works are read widely and are criticized as well. He has left behind numerous theories regarding human mind and behavior out of which some are commonly accepted and some are widely debated. The question after that arises now is â€Å"Why did Freud’s theories get many criticisms?† Freud was in his day an answer to many of society’s questions. As evolved and as the sciences evolved, we learned much more about Freud and his theories. Most of his work has been criticized most of the time. The criticisms of Freud and his theories have increased since†¦show more content†¦Bronislaw Malinowski, in his book ‘Sex and Repression in Savage Society’ says that it is wrong to assume that Oedipus complex is universal. He argues that this complex only â€Å"corresponds to the patrilineal societies† (5) in the world. He says that since â€Å"the constitutions of the family† goes under changes related to power, settlement, housing, sources of food, labour etc from time to time, and the â€Å"passion and attachments within the family vary† (4). Some critics connect this theory with Freud’s complex family structure. In his book, his father was twenty years elder than his mother and had a grandson when Freud was born (Afro z 9). M. Young, in his book â€Å"Whatever happened to Human nature?†, present Freud’s words from his letter to a friend where he says that he remembers falling in love with his mother and being jealous of his father and thus he â€Å"regards this complex as universal† (Afroz 9). Thus critics criticize him of regarding his personal experience as a universal one. Michel Juffà ©, a psychiatric says that â€Å"He [Freud] could not accept that parents - including his own parents - could be responsible for the psychic problems undergone by children. InShow MoreRelatedThe Is The Missing Link !1226 Words   |  5 Pagesof a recent situation. Sometimes, a dream portrays a long-lost memory, possibly unearthing some unfinished business from the past. Remember that dreams often have a much deeper (and sometimes completely different) meaning than the obvious. This is why accurate intuition of your own or that of an intuitive dream expert is needed to decipher the imagery and symbols of the subconscious mind. Dreams and nightmares can show us our deepest thoughts. Using dream interpretation to explore dream symbols andRead MoreSchool of Thought1108 Words   |  5 Pagesto determine the truth or falsehood of a proposition, this uncertainty allowed a person to be able to will a belief by acting as if that belief were true. This theory was criticized and a failure. Page3 Behaviorism: According to behaviorism the subject matter of psychology is behavior including how and why it happens. Psychology through a behaviorist’s eye is an experimental extension of natural science. The goal of behaviorism is the prediction and control of behavior. TheRead MoreHistory of Psychology852 Words   |  4 Pagescalled introspection (to engage in one’s own mind and feelings). It was self-observed by involving observers that describes elements of an object or experience rather than calling it by a familiar name. Both structuralism and introspection were later criticized, and eventually faded away as newer ideas advanced. Structuralism also deals with elements of experience. Functionalism What is functionalism? The school of functionalism focused on behaviorism in addition to the mind (consciousness). ItRead MoreHow Does Foucault s Freud s Repression Hypothesis?1620 Words   |  7 Pagessaid, â€Å"Psychologically it is fully justified in beginning by censuring any manifestations of the sexual life of children, for there would be no prospect of curbing the sexual desires of adults if the ground had not been prepared for it in childhood† (Freud, 1929, p. 21). It is believed that repression caused various mental sicknesses and it influences the psyche of an individual (Yeng, 2010). Sexual repression can be defined as a state in which an individual is prohibited to express sexual desiresRead MoreEssay on Inside the Head of Sigmund Freud1568 Words   |  7 Pagesin the future. Amongst these men lie Karl Marx, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, and Marie Curie. One name who is highly debated and criticized for his theories is neurologist Sigmund Freud. Arguments take place in order to prove Sigmund’s authenticity and the level of influence that he contributed. 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There lies one of Freud’s greatest weaknesses in my opinion, asRead MoreEssay on Critical Evaluation of the Psychodynamic Approach866 Words   |  4 PagesCritical Evaluation of the Psychodynamic Approach The psychodynamic approach, developed by Freud, emphasizes the interplay of unconscious psychological processes in determining human thought, feelings, and behaviour. The basis of this approach is that psychological factors play a major role in determining behaviour and shaping personality. Freud divided the human psyche into three; the ID, ego and superego. He said you were born with ID which was in your unconsciousRead More Objective Psychology and Psychoanalysis Essay1055 Words   |  5 Pagesto how a child reacts to mothers and fathers and how the Oedipus complex plays a role from infancy through adulthood. The way Freud believed these stages started and progressed are involved with his two theories of psychology. One is the ontogenetic theory, which is most enhanced by Freud, and the phylogenetic theory which is the theory by Freud that is the most criticized. The ontogenetic theory is a theory designed to explain one part of psychology. According to page three hundred and nineRead MoreEssay on What is useful in Freuds theory of dreams?1686 Words   |  7 Pages « The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind  ».1 While Freud already used hypnosis and free association with his patients, he soon felt the need to include the interpretation of dreams in psychoanalysis as well. Freud decided he would developped his theory of dreams to go further in his analysis. According to Freud, dreams allow unconscious desires, fears or emotions to express themselves in a disguised way. Dreams are an expression ofRead MorePhilosopher Karl Popper And Empirical Falsification929 Words   |  4 PagesCritical rationalists believe that hypothesis and theories should be criticized in a rational way and should be tested in a way that they can be proven to be false. Popper was inspired to come up with his idea of falsification because of the many advances happening in the Western scientific world while he was growing up in the early 1900’s. Growing up in this time, Popper was intrigued by the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud and even attended lectures of Albert Einstein about the rules of the