Sigmund Freud: The Evolution Of Modern Psychology

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Modern psychology was built upon the foundations laid out by Sigmund Freud, and continued by colleagues that broke away from his theories, which they believed were limited by his fixation on sexual urges. Freud outlined new methods for understanding human behavior and his development of psychoanalysis blazed the trail for other psychologists providing the building blocks for the development of many different psychological theories. The evolution of modern psychology evolved from Freud’s deterministic theories and was further developed by his colleague Alfred Adler, who added a social component to the understanding of human behavior. Adler fell back on his own tragic experience as a child to formulate the idea that humans are driven not …show more content…

Freud, as one of the pioneers of modern psychology, and the developer of one of the most comprehensive theories of personality, outlined new methods for understanding human behavior. His development of psychoanalysis blazed the trail for countless other psychologists and provided the building blocks for the development of a variety of theories. The evolution of modern psychology evolved from Freud’s deterministic theories and was further developed by his colleague Alfred Adler, who added a social component to the understanding of human behavior. Adler branched away from Freud’s fixation on sexual urges and used his own tragic experience to formulate the idea that humans are driven not by conflict, but instead by the fear of inadequacy. Adlerian therapy focused on using the relationship of the counselor to the patient and redeveloping one’s view of the past, existentialists built upon that foundation and incorporated philosophy to extend the theory of individualism further to encompass a broader theory of universal existence. While existential therapy builds from principles of Adlerian therapy, it finds itself contrary to the majority of Freudian psychology. Despite vast differences in the theory, the scope, and the function of modern psychological methodologies, without the genius of Sigmund Freud, our understanding of human behavior could not have advanced to what it is

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