Final answer:
The Freudian theory, proposed by Sigmund Freud, had significant influence on psychology, particularly with its notions of the unconscious mind, psychosexual development, and the therapeutic technique of psychoanalysis. Despite modern critiques, concepts such as the importance of early childhood experiences and the development of personality over time have persisted. Neo-Freudians expanded Freudian theory to include sociocultural factors and further developed theories of personal development.
Step-by-step explanation:
History and Evolution of Freudian Theory
The Freudian theory, conceived by Sigmund Freud, has had a profound impact on the field of psychology. Within the first decade of its inception, Freud introduced groundbreaking concepts such as the unconscious mind, psychosexual development, and the Oedipus complex. During this time, Freud utilized techniques like dream analysis, slips of the tongue, and free association to explore the unconscious mind—a realm he believed housed repressed memories and was the source of neuroses.
Freud's early works, including his 1905 Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, put forth ideas that would spark controversy and debate within the psychological community. Despite the lack of empirical evidence and contemporary criticism, Freud's emphasis on the importance of early childhood experiences, the role of the unconscious, and the development of personality, are concepts that have endured and continued to influence later theories.
Neo-Freudians like Adler, Erikson, Jung, and Horney expanded on Freud's work by addressing the impact of sociocultural factors and revising concepts like the inferiority complex, the collective unconscious, and the stages of psychosocial development. Even as Freud's specific hypotheses on psychosexual stages and mechanisms of personality development like pe nis envy have fallen out of favor, these successors recognized the foundational value of his ideas in understanding the psychological human condition.
Ultimately, Freud's conceptualization of the psyche as a battleground of conflicting desires and societal norms, and his contribution to therapeutic techniques such as psychoanalysis, remain important historical landmarks in psychology.