Sigmund Freud (1856-1939); started with his
procedure of psychoanalysis on people dealing with
psychological problems
believed in the 'unconscious' : contains thoughts,
memories, and desires that are well below the surface of
conscious awareness, but that nonetheless exert great
influence on behaviour, ex. slips of the tongue
concluded that psychological disturbances
are greatly caused by personal conflicts
existing at an unconscious level
argued people are not
masters of their own mind;
proposed our sexual urges
influence our behaviour
Psychoanalytic theory: attempts to explain personality,
motivation, and mental disorders by focusing on
unconscious detrminants of behaviour
met with resistance regarding the
accessibility of scientific observation
of the unconscious experience;
viewed it as 'unscientific speculation'