Psychoanalysis

Matthew Weitz
October 12, 2015
PSY310
Shannon Kelly

Psychoanalysis today is one of the most important terms related to the study and practice
of psychotherapy. The beginning of psychoanalysis was created while Freud researched hysteria,
to which he believed was not caused by biological manifestations within the nervous system.
Freud wrote two papers on the subject of hysteria, this was the beginning of his work on
psychoanalytic theories. He used this method mainly to treat people that suffered from different
types of mental disorders. Jung and Adler joined Freud. Jung and Adler made contributions to the
field. In 1913, both were not recognized due to theoretical differences with Freud and his strong
sexual motivation.
Psychoanalysis is a concept of the unconscious mind, and in hysteria patients tend to
disappear after material was forgotten. Freuds vision was of the unconscious mind having
psychic abilities. These abilities could influence the personality and behavior, but could operate
the material and not the subject. He figured there were defense mechanisms which included
repression, regression, displacement, and rationalization. These defense mechanisms help to
defend the part of the mind that is conscious from parts of real life that may attempt pain. Freud
made a recognition of this consciousness within the experiences that were forgotten, and it was
the base of psychoanalysis therapy. Hypnosis is one of the original methods that was used in
order to delve into the mind while it was unconscious.
There have been many contributions to psychoanalysis. But, the main contributions
studied are, the Attachment Theory, Transference, Resistance, and Trauma. The Attachment
Theory can be used to describe a bond between and infant and a primary guardian. The amount
of attachment evolves from direct contact with one another, and also part of the guardians
thoughts towards the infant, and the infants needs. John Bowlby, also known as the father of the

attachment theory, believes that this theory has four specific categories, the proximity
maintenance, the separation distress, the safe haven, and the secure base. Proximity maintenance
means to want to be physically closer. The separation distress, meaning can also be classified as
separation anxiety. The safe haven is when an infant may go to the guardian when he/she starts
feeling danger or starts to feel anxious. Lastly, the secure base, is exactly how it sounds, the
infant feels completely protected when with the guardian.

Transference is known as the

concept that can refer to the natural response to certain situations in unique and predetermined
ways. It can also describe the tendency for a person to base some of their perceptions in the
present day relationships of their earlier attachments, mainly involving parents, siblings, and
spouses. Transference can lead to distortions within interpersonal relationships. Resistance, as
uncomfortable thoughts/feelings begin to get close, the individual will automatically resist to
self-explore, which would bring them completely out in the open. An individual may experience
life at a massive intensity, because they may be burdened by transferences that potential derive
from a previous source. These people use resistances to avoid their personal emotions as they
begin to intensify.
Freuds methods of collecting data have been the target of considerable criticism
(Shultz, 2011). When looking at the criticisms of psychoanalysis we find that his theory is way
too simple to make the details clear. Freud collected data while his patients were undergoing
analysis. His data was unsystematic and uncontrolled. Freud didnt make notes as he was seeing
his patients but instead wrote about his insights hours after he saw them. He was quoted saying,
I write them down from memory in the evening after work is done (quoted in GrubrichSimitis, 1993, p. 20).

Finally, Carl Jung needs to be talked about because of his developments inside the
Freudian framework. He established the lone school of analysis. The school of analysis has
kept a continual following all these years. Jungian analysis is based on a added religious base.
The religious base lies upon Jung's highlighting the myth along with the existence of "collective
unconscious." Jung thought that the collective unconscious is inside of everyone, this differs
from Sigmund's idea because it is believed to not be created from repression (Jung, 1959).

Reference:
Schultz, D. P., & Schultz, S. E. (2011). A History of Psychology (10th ed.). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Grubrich-Simitis, I. (1993). Back to Freuds texts: Making silent documents speak. New Haven,
CT: Yale University Press.
Jung, C. G. (1959). The archetypes and the collective unconscious, collected works (Vol.9, pt. 1;
trans. R. F. C. Hull). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.