Foundations and Components of Psychoanalysis Term Paper

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Psychoanalytic Model

Discusses the foundations and components of psychoanalysis

People today are familiar with psychoanalysis after its wide rejection as well as adulation for years. Paradoxically, the success realized in the 5th decade, particularly in Europe, divorced it from its core principles. It spread widely but not because of the attention drawn for its therapy methods. It can be said that therapy was duly overshadowed due to its application in other fields. Psychoanalysis is used in sociology, literature, anthropology, mythology, religion and ethnology. Psychoanalysis is applied jointly in three areas: as a way of investigating the mind, particularly the unconscious mind; a neurosis therapy that is inspired by the method above; as an independent discipline which is based on knowledge gotten from the application of investigative methods as well as clinical experiences. Psychoanalytical science is highlighted by Freud in his study Totem and Taboo where he dives into anthropological and social analysis heavily relying on knowledge gotten from the application of psychoanalysis in the therapy of neurosis (Psychoanalysis, n.d.).

Psychoanalytic Theory

The theory proposes that while children are progressing through the 5 psycho-sexual development stages, the libidinal energy they have is continually reattached - cathexis - to some other things or objects. Using the terminology Freud used, the aggressive or sexual desires the child has are unconsciously mentally represented by the objects. In their early development stages, the focus of their libidinal energy is targeted at infantile objects. If the child develops successfully through this stage, his cathexis will be directed to other objects that are more mature. However, there is a possibility of regression or fixation if the early stages of development are characterized by trauma or overindulgence. This is to say that the child's libidinal energy is fixated at a lower stage. The typology of personality that is proposed by Freud is based on this concept. Freud opines that people having disproportionate libidinal energy levels heavily invested in any particular stage will show personalities that characterize the stage. The explanation given by Freud on both pathological and normal personalities is founded on the several ways someone can progress through development stages. The most successful and healthy passage is assigned to the individual who successfully goes through the process without having his or her libidinal energy fixated at an earlier stage. An analogy of an army continuously advancing towards its target is used. If the army drops or leaves behind its soldiers at certain bases as they forge forward, it won't possess the strength needed to win the major battle - in Freud's case, the realities and cruelties of life. Sadly, a given amount of regression or fixation is unavoidable according to Freud. He says that everyone develops some level of fixations. In Freud's system, individuals are predestined for a level of immaturity and attachment to childish objects (Psychoanalysis in Theory and Practice, 2008).

Freud's explanation of the process raises the question of how fixation does exactly take place. He answers the concerns by first giving the proposal that the tendency of people to be fixated is hereditary and constitutional. This is to say that irrespective of what causes a fixation, some people are more likely to be fixated to them than other people. The particular triggers of fixation can be troublesome, irrespective of the individual's susceptibility. Fixations can occur at a certain psychosexual stage in case the child is just so comfortable at that particular stage of development, so that movement to another stage causes frustration and distress. Also, if trauma occurs or the child is unhappy during the stage, the child can develop fixations to that particular stage (Psychoanalysis in Theory and Practice, 2008).

Components of Psychoanalysis

Oral Personalities

This personality considers the mouth as the greatest pleasure source, so that drinking and eating are engaged in excessively. Alcoholism, obesity, smoking and abuse of drugs can be blamed on oral fixations. Since individuals suffering from substance addictions and eating disorders are disposed to taking food excessively or abusing drugs, the theory given by Freud explaining such kind predispositions seems to hold water - it seems that it satisfactorily gives an explanation to this concept. A section of the followers of Freud divided oral personalities into two subtypes, the most popular one being called oral passive, oral dependent or oral receptive personality. The second one is called oral aggressive personality - which tends towards negativity and habituated to biting or sarcastic comments. As opposed to the passive individuals, people with oral aggression are demanding, manipulative and distrustful (Psychoanalysis in Theory and Practice, 2008).

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Anal Personalities

This personality has excess libido amounts fixated on pleasures that were discovered at the time of toilet training. As children learn the control of body waste, they get concerned with not dirtying themselves or ensuring that they defecate at the right time. They derive pleasure from defecation and the adulation the parent gives after defecation. Libido fixation at the anal stage causes a personality where the person is controlling, seeks extreme order and precision. Since this personality comes at the time of superego formation, a fixation at the anal stage may cause an overly controlling and moralistic style. Freud makes the suggestion that children at this development stage consider feces release as their gift to a parent - a gift which can be withheld or given. The children release feces if loved sufficiently and withhold if not loved sufficiently. According to Freud, feces become a currency in the relationship between the parent and the child, and can be dispensed or withheld, so affording the child some control (Psychoanalysis in theory and Practice, 2008).

Phallic Personalities

Freud believed that fixations happening in the phallic development stage can cause some additional personality types that are distinct. As earlier discussed, the Oedipal crisis happens at the phallic stage and so fixations encountered at this stage are thought to greatly impact the personality of the child. Because of the sexual nature of the Oedipal crisis, the associated fixations tend to lean towards sexuality. A fixation at the stage can cause narcissism, lead to an individual being too egoistic or posses a personality that is overly sexualized which may involve serial marriage, polyandry or polygamy. A person of this personality tends to use sex emotions in releasing stress and tend to engage in superficial sexual relationships that are devoid of affection or love. Freud believed that strength or assertiveness in women could be explained by fixations in this stage and a failure in the resolution of Oedipal crisis. This failure resulted in what Freud would call the masculinity complex. It is a complication in girls. When the girls drift from the incestuous love they have for their fathers, which is significant genitally, they abandon their femininity. Their masculinity is embraced, and from then on they just want to be boys.

Genital Personalities

Freud held the belief that adults who developed fully during the genital stage would be free of neurosis. He implied that a genital personality existed and not that a distinctive type of personality was associated with the stage. The genital stage is well exemplified by individuals who go through the other stages having enough libido to do productive tasks, love maturely those around them and also to reproduce. As opposed to the people possessing genital personalities, individuals who were fixated to the earlier stages tend to show fetishism, narcissism and exhibit other hindrances to fulfilling heterosexuality. Therefore, men having paraphilia and frigid women are examples of individuals who never achieved maturity levels needed for an individual to have a genital personality (Psychoanalysis in Theory and Practice, 2008).

Evaluation of the Contributions of Criticisms of Psychoanalytic Models to the Explanation of Human Behavior

While psychoanalytic theory controversies vary in significant ways from intrapsychic conflicts which are its focus, there exists close relationships between the two kinds of conflicts and also some important similarities. The conflicts between certain theorists plus the potent psychological weight of the theories they formulated may be put under applied analysis, or in other instances, clinical analysis (Abend, 1979; Arlow, 1981). Nonetheless, existing conflicts between different theoreticians do promote theory developments that can be applied in the development of theories as well as their properties. Inconsistencies, contradictions, prejudice, errors and vagueness indicate unconscious conflicts. A similar occurrence in theoretical discourse could also be an indicator of serious problems in the formulated theories. Nonetheless, as would happen in a disagreement between individuals, the points acknowledged to be the pivots of disagreement might not be the most significant fundamental basis of that particular controversy. In a case like this, it is important to make the distinction between latent and manifest issues of theory, instead of focusing on the emotionally arousing issues. In the Freud and Horney controversy, the sexuality of the females is what triggered the most fundamental differences, or so it was argued (Grossman, 1986).

Latent theoretical content might be varied in its scope as well as complexity. Broadly, philosophy concepts on human beings exist - assumptions on social and biological facets of the functioning….....

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