Final answer:
In Freud's theory, an important idea to sociology is that culture demands individuals become less self-centered. His work on the unconscious mind, personal development, and the three components of personality—the id, ego, and superego—has influenced the understanding of human behavior in a social context.
Step-by-step explanation:
An idea in Freud's thinking that has special importance to sociology is his assertion that culture demands that individuals become less self-centered. Freud's theories, such as the tension between individual desires and societal expectations leading to inner conflict, have had a significant influence on various academic disciplines, including sociology. His conceiving of the unconscious mind—a repository for repressed memories and desires—and the subsequent formations of defense mechanisms to cope with conflict, underlie his view on human behavior within a cultural context.
Sigmund Freud's work also highlighted that personal development is influenced by early childhood experiences and that much of mental life occurs outside conscious awareness. He posited that the mind is a complex entity often at odds with itself and not wholly subject to rational control or consciousness. Freud's suggestion of the id, ego, and superego as the three components of the personality with the ongoing struggle to balance individual desires and societal demands has been foundational in understanding human behavior in a social context. His followers, the neo-Freudians, expanded this by considering the effects of the social environment and culture on personality development.