Why Do We Still Talk About Freud?
In the history of psychology, no name has garnered as much admiration and criticism as Sigmund Freud. Dubbed the “explorer of the mind” by some and labeled the “father of perverse ideas” by others, Freud remains a polarizing figure. Especially in countries like Turkey, where the psychoanalytic tradition hasn’t been institutionalized, discussions about Freud are often caricatured, taken out of context, and stripped of scientific content. However, Freud’s goal was not to focus on sexuality but to understand the human being. Attempting to comprehend his theories is key to understanding psychology itself.
Freud’s Fundamental Theoretical Structure
Freud’s psychoanalytic theory delineates the human mind into three layers: conscious, preconscious, and unconscious. This tripartite structure explains behavior not only through observable causes but also via repressed drives, childhood experiences, and defense mechanisms. According to this framework, dreams, slips of the tongue, and symptoms are manifestations of the unconscious mind.
In his structural model, personality comprises three components:
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Id (primitive self): The center of drives and the pleasure principle.
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Ego (self): Operates according to the reality principle; bridges the id and the external world.
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Superego (super self): Represents internalized societal rules and moral values.
This structure continues to provide a significant theoretical framework for understanding the multifaceted and conflicting nature of behaviors in modern psychology.
Psychosexual Development Theory: Sexuality or Development?
Freud’s most criticized yet frequently misunderstood theory is the psychosexual development theory. According to this theory, individuals pass through specific stages from birth to adolescence. In each stage, different body regions become sources of pleasure, and conflicts during these periods shape personality structures. Here, the term “sexual” refers not solely to sexuality but to a broader sense of instinctual gratification and pleasure-focused development.
Freud’s Stages:
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Oral Stage (0–1 year): Pleasure centers on oral activities like sucking and feeding. The foundation of trust develops during this stage.
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Anal Stage (1–3 years): Toilet training introduces concepts of control, order, and autonomy.
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Phallic Stage (3–6 years): Children develop gender awareness and begin identifying with parents. The Oedipus complex, associated with this stage, relates to emotional attachment and identity formation.
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Latency Stage (6–11 years): Sexual urges are suppressed, while social skills and cognitive development take precedence.
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Genital Stage (12 years and beyond): Mature sexuality, productivity, and intimate relationships become central themes.
This model is now considered foundational for attachment theories (Bowlby, Ainsworth), developmental psychopathology, and personality theories. Freud’s core assumption that “early experiences shape personality” is now supported by neurodevelopmental models (Schore, 2012; Siegel, 2015).
Debates on Freud’s Scientific Validity
Freud’s theories have also been contentious from a philosophy of science perspective. Notably, Karl Popper deemed Freud’s concepts “unfalsifiable,” thus unscientific. Indeed, constructs like the id, superego, or unconscious cannot be directly measured; however, this doesn’t render them entirely worthless. Today, psychodynamic approaches have systematized Freud’s ideas through empirical research, making them more objective.
For example:
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Defense mechanisms are now considered observable structures in experimental settings (Vaillant, 1992).
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Transference and countertransference are central to therapeutic relationships in contemporary therapies.
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The influence of the unconscious is indirectly supported by modern cognitive neuroscience (Bargh & Morsella, 2008).
Additionally, Freud’s dream interpretations remain relevant. In today’s dynamic or eclectic therapy methods, dreams are viewed as reflections of symbolic language and repressed emotions, aiding in understanding clients’ unconscious processes. Psychoanalytically rooted schools continue to use dreams as therapeutic material, demonstrating the ongoing applicability of Freud’s approach.
Therefore, Freud initiated a paradigmatic shift in understanding mental processes, emphasizing interpretive depth over scientific precision.
Freud’s Shadow in Modern Therapy
Contemporary therapists’ engagement with clients-examining how past experiences influence the present and addressing recurring themes in the client’s inner world-builds upon the foundation Freud established. While modern therapeutic practices don’t replicate Freud’s methods verbatim, his legacy persists in dynamic therapy, schema therapy, mentalization-based therapy, and trauma-focused approaches.
Critical Respect for Freud
Both idolizing and dismissing Freud are equally superficial approaches. He was neither a prophet nor merely a man with “perverse fantasies.” Freud was a pioneer striving to understand the human mind, thinking beyond his time, and elevating psychology from the shadows of philosophy. His theories should undergo scientific scrutiny without neglecting their historical context.
If we recognize and practice psychology as a scientific discipline today, it’s thanks in part to the foundational contributions of Freud.
References
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Freud, S. (1905). Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality.
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Popper, K. (1959). The Logic of Scientific Discovery.
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Westen, D. (1998). “The Scientific Legacy of Sigmund Freud.” Psychological Bulletin, 124(3), 333–371.
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Schore, A. (2012). The Science of the Art of Psychotherapy.
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Vaillant, G.E. (1992). Ego Mechanisms of Defense: A Guide for Clinicians and Researchers.
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Siegel, D. (2015). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are.
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Bargh, J. A., & Morsella, E. (2008). “The Unconscious Mind.” Perspectives on Psychological Science, 3(1), 73–79.