Explain psychoanalytic theory. Refer to concepts such as anxiety, defense mechanisms, and psychosexual development. Use examples to illustrate these concepts

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The psychoanalytic theory developed by Sigmund Freud is based on three major concepts.
-Structure of the mind. According to Freud, the mind can be divided into three major parts: the id, the source of our strong sexual and aggressive feelings or energies, which operates on the pleasure principle; the ego, or the part of the mind that operates on the reality principle to ensure that we act realistically; and the superego, or conscience, which represents the moral principles of our culture. When these areas are in conflict, it can result in anxiety.
-Defense mechanisms. In order to mediate continuing conflict between the id and the superego, the ego marshals defense mechanisms or unconscious protective processes that keep primitive emotions in check. Examples include denial, displacement, projection, rationalization, reaction formation, repression, and sublimation.
-Psychosexual stages of development. Freud theorized that during infancy and early childhood, we pass through psychosexual stages of development in a specific order that affect our lifetime functioning. These stages include the oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages, and are characterized by distinctive means of gratifying our basic needs and satisfying our drive for physical pleasure.