History/Systems of Psychology

2.3 Assignment. Freud and Sexuality

Getting Started

When many people think of Sigmund Freud, they reflexively think of him as a sex-obsessed individual who had major problems. While this might be a smug way of summarizing him and his work, Freud and his contribution to the development of psychology cannot be dismissed so easily. He was a complicated but brilliant person who pioneered new ideas, many of which were hugely unpopular at the time.

One of his most controversial ideas related to sexuality was how children went through what Freud called the psychosexual stages of development. Freud began presenting some of these ideas in the first decade of the twentieth century, an era that was very conservative. At the time, it was considered taboo to openly speak of sexual matters. Freud was not only speaking about it in public but writing and teaching on the topic as if his ideas were established facts. As you might imagine, he received much criticism for his views. But gradually those in the psychology community began to embrace some of his ideas. It took the general public much longer to warm up to him and many, of course, never did.

In this assignment, you get to come to some of your own conclusions about Freud. You will take a closer look at Freud’s views of sexuality, how it was received by religious people at the time, the type of resistance he faced, and any cultural factors that may have helped promote his theories on sexuality. At the completion of your assignment, you may find that you have a new appreciation for Freud’s work and his important place in the development of psychology as a formal discipline.

Upon successful completion of this assignment, you will be able to:

· Assess how Freud’s views on sexuality were received by those of his era and what factors helped or hindered his theory.

Resources

· Textbook:  A History of Psychology: The Emergence of Science and Applications

· Article: Historical Context for the Writings of Sigmund Freud

Background Information

Before beginning this written assignment, read Chapters 14 and 15 in the textbook, watch the video “Freud and Religion,” and read the article “Historical Context for the Writings of Sigmund Freud.”

You are encouraged to keep an open mind about Freud as you study his ideas on sexuality. Many of his concepts about sexuality, and child development in general, have been shown to be scientifically invalid. But we must remember that Freud was a pioneer, and those who seek to explore unfamiliar territory inevitably end up being wrong on a number of points. It is left to those who come after them to refine or disprove the theory. Think of the engineering pioneers who created the first cell phone or computer. Those prototypes would be considered toys against the powerful technologies we have today. But ideas have to start somewhere. Freud’s ideas set in motion a way of looking at the mind that we still use today. He was the first psychologist to actually ask patients what they thought and felt. You can disagree with Freud and his ideas; just strive to know why you disagree and on what truth your disagreement is based on.

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.

2. In your textbook,  A History of Psychology: The Emergence of Science and Applications, read Chapter 14, “Gestalt Psychology,” and Chapter 15, “Psychoanalysis.”

3. Listen to  Omnibus  a profile of Austrian neurologist and the father of psychoanalysis. The program includes extracts from an archive interview with Sigmund Freud himself. 

4. Read the article “ Historical Context for the Writings of Sigmund Freud .”

5. Write a three- to four-page paper that addresses the following:

a. Summarize the conservative mentality in the early part of the twentieth century as it relates to how sexuality in general and sexual expression was perceived and lived out.

b. Summarize Freud’s views on the role of sexuality in his psychoanalytic theory.

c. What cultural factors at that time most contributed to the resistance Freud received for his emphasis on sexual matters in his theory?

d. How did religious people of the time respond to the sexually laden ideas Freud was proposing, especially as it related to children’s sexuality?

e. What cultural factors helped promote his theories and his emphasis on sexual matters as they pertain to the individual? Be sure to address how the church reacted to Freud and his theories at this time.

6. Elaborate fully in your responses. Be sure to cite your sources in  APA Style  format in the text of your paper and in a reference page at the end.