Psychology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Psychology - Term Paper Example It is possible for us to measure the behaviour of a person both qualitatively and quantitatively and hence psychology is now considered as a branch of science. Clinical psychology is the most important branch of psychology because of the immense contributions it gives to the treatment of mental problems of human beings. There are many branches of clinical psychology at present. Psychoanalysis is one among them. Psychoanalysis theory was developed by Sigmund Freud which deals with psychological method of investigation, systematic set of theories about human behaviour and the treatment of psychological disorders. Feminists were among the earliest proponents of psychoanalysis because it acknowledged sexual desires in all people including women, who at the time were considered asexual. But over the course of the century, the theory fell out of favor among feminists, many of whom maintained that it contributed to women’s oppression instead of their liberation. In the 1970s interest in psychoanalysis among feminists enjoyed a renaissance, and by the end of the century it formed part of the canon of feminist theory in the humanities. However, the theory still faces a great deal of resistance from feminists in the social sciences (Feminist Theory: Psychoanalytic, 2010) This paper briefly explains the feminist theory in psychoanalysis Freud argued that boys and girls begin life with similar psychological dispositions, but they follow different paths to adult heterosexuality owing to their anatomical differences and the expectations placed upon them by their families and society in general (Feminist Theory: Psychoanalytic, 2010). According to feminists the interpretations of sexual development by Freud is unacceptable. Freud believed that the environmental parameters control the sexuality more than the genetic parameters. In other words the boys and girls develop heterosexuality mainly from the environment rather than any genetic predispositions. Freud argued that the boys and girls learn a lot form the family and the society about the sexual patterns and they try to follow the same pattern. For example, boys realize their similarity with their father at an early age itself and will try to imitate the father in every respect. Same way girls will try to imitate their mothers. Freud pointed out that â€Å"When individuals did not successfully progress through the stages of development, mental illness could result. Freud maintained that unresolved early childhood traumas associated with these stages of sexual development become lodged in the unconscious and reappear in neurotic symptoms†(Feminist Theory: Psychoanalytic, 2010). Many of the psychological disorders occur at the latter stages of one’s life is attributed to the unresolved childhood traumas by Freud. For example, it is quite possible that a child could not relieve his/her sexual energy in the childhood because of the social restrictions. In family and society, children are prohibited from engage in any sexual activities because of the traditions, customs and beliefs. On the other hand, childhood is a stage during which the sex hormones are hyperactive. In other words, most of the sexual requirements were remain unsolved or unmet during childhood which will negatively impact the life of the child latter, according to Freud. In short, Freud’s theory succeeded in giving a comprehensive account about the sexual development. Freud observed that