Final answer:
The claim by Sigmund Freud that disturbed traditionalists the most was his theory that unconscious thoughts and repressed desires influence behavior. This notion challenged the then-accepted view that human actions were fully conscious and rational, highlighting the importance of the unconscious mind and its hidden influences on our personality and actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the claims by Sigmund Freud that disturbed traditionalists, the one that stands out is C) Freud's theory that repressed desires and unconscious thoughts influence behavior. This idea was revolutionary because it challenged the prevailing belief that human behavior was entirely conscious and rational. Freud's theories emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind, suggesting that it is filled with repressed memories, drives, and desires that can profoundly influence our thoughts and behaviors without our awareness.
Freud asserted that understanding the unconscious mind was critical to comprehending conscious behavior and employed techniques like dream analysis, slips of the tongue, and free association to explore the unconscious. His theory was one of the earliest to systematically study the workings of the unconscious, significantly shaping the field of psychology. Additionally, Freud introduced the structure of the mind in terms of the id, ego, and superego, which proposed a universal psychic architecture influencing personality development and behavior.
His perspective, while groundbreaking, has faced a multitude of criticisms. Critics argue that Freud's theories lack empirical evidence and are untestable. They also challenge the overemphasis on sexuality and the deterministic view of human development based on psychosexual stages. Nonetheless, Freud's insights into the psychodynamic perspective and the role of the unconscious have had a lasting impact on the field.