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Academic criticism of Sigmund Freud
- 1. ACADEMIC CRITICISM OF SIGMUND FREUD
- 2. • This theory is often critisized and discredited by many psychologists, so not many psychologists use it as an application in patients today.
- 3. Scientific Validity ... How Do You Measure the Libido? • From a scientific point of view, many disagree with the fact that Freud used terms which cannot be verified - how do you test or measure libido?
- 4. That There is Too Much Emphasis on Biological Factors • Still others argue that he placed too much emphasis on biological factors, claiming that the instincts and drives that motivate us are purely inherent. • Some studies have refuted this fact, showing that social experiences - rather than sexual factors or libido - are more influential in shaping personality.
- 5. That the Individual Is Powerless Vis-a-Vis His Needs • Many experts take objection to the idea that we are all victims of our instincts, drives, and conflicts, with little control over our own behavior or actions. Freud eliminates the "free will" aspect and suggests a more deterministic view of personality. This means that a child cannot be taught to make responsible or beneficial decisions, cannot learn from his mistakes, and has no control over his own fate or future. His drives and his parenting will determine who he becomes with little or no input from the child himself.
- 6. That Personality Is Fixed after the Age of Five • Still others dispute the suggestion that our future is shaped by our past and all our thoughts, aspirations, plans, and decisions are completely determined by experiences we had before the age of five. A child hasn't even built a lot of the cognitive or intellectual skills needed for adulthood functioning, so how can he possibly be fully developed? Based on Sigmund Freud's theory, parenting becomes irrelevant after age 5 since everything that matters has already happened.
- 7. That Women Can Never Really Become Fully Developed • Sigmund Freud has also been criticized for his claim that women have undeveloped superegos because they suffer from penis envy and feel inferior about their bodies. He also believed that the heterosexual male is the ultimate example of a fully developed person, implying that everyone else is fighting a losing battle. A woman might as well not even try because she will never achieve Freud's highest level. In fact, he focuses almost entirely on male development and devotes little time to the uniqueness of women.
- 8. That We Are Forever Trapped by our Fixations • Also, Sigmund Freud views mankind in a very pessimistic way, believing that we are trapped in an endless struggle to deal with conflicts and inner forces - a battle that we cannot win. There is no hope, encouragement, or possibility of improvement. If a child didn't come through the first five years successfully, he was doomed for the rest of his life.
- 9. ATheory on Child Psychology without Ever Studying Children • Finally, Freud based his theory almost completely on the memories and recollections of adult patients and much of his data was provided through hypnosis, free association, and dream analysis. Many experts argue that it is not always possible to verify an individual's memories or information obtained through psychoanalytic methods. It is difficult to accurately document the development of children when you haven't actually observed or studied children.