Psychoanalysis (Critical Theory)

What is Psychoanalysis?

Psychoanalysis is the application of psychological theories generated by thinkers like Freud and Jung to cultural and literary issues. Although some people do not consider it to be a true area of psychology (mainly because it does not use experiments) it is an offshoot of early psychology that continues to have relevance in academic circles today. Unlike most areas of psychology, which have long since abandoned the ideas of Freud and his contemporaries, psychoanalysis continues to apply them. It is considered a branch of critical theory, the philosophical study of cultural expressions such as art, theater, and literature. Most psychoanalysis experts today teach in English or philosophy departments, rather than psychology departments, but they often see themselves as a bridge between the humanities and “mainstream” psychology.

Many people also use these theories, developed from both philosophy and psychology, in practical settings. They constitute a kind of “alternative” approach to psychology that, much like Jungian psychology, continues to apply the theories of very early psychological thinkers. Modern practicing psychoanalysts attempt to take the theories of their academic colleagues and generate useful therapeutic processes out of them.

Who Should Study Psychoanalysis?

If you’re interested in the theories of early psychologists and want to study, discuss and teach these theories in an academic setting, psychoanalysis is a good area of study to focus on. It’s also great for those who are interested in teaching from a “humanities” rather than “social sciences” perspective – in other words, you will not need to spend your time in a laboratory or do statistical analyses of data. The theories of psychoanalysis come from books and discussions, not from experiments, and this is both an advantage and a disadvantage of psychoanalysis as a field. The majority of psychologists see psychoanalysis as interesting only from a historical perspective, but a dedicated minority continue to believe that it has relevance today.

Several training facilities exist for those who are interested in using psychoanalysis in the field. They are highly specialized institutions, since psychoanalysis is fairly uncommon as a therapeutic method. But for those who see psychoanalysis as a compelling, interesting, and useful approach to psychotherapy, such training is an ideal career move.

The History of Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis was born out of the theories of Sigmund Freud, who lived and worked in Austria in the early 20^th century. Freud was a brilliant thinker whose work revolutionized the study of human beings and influenced fields as diverse as psychology, philosophy, political theory, and medicine. Freud’s method of psychoanalysis involved conversing with his patients about their lives and feelings, and from these conversations he developed a complex theory of human nature based on stages of development, drives, appetites, and relationships with important people such as parents.

Over the last hundred years, psychoanalysis has come under fire from two sources: first, from feminist scholars who believe that the obvious sexism of Freud pervades all of psychoanalysis; second from mainstream psychologists who see it as unscientific and subjective. Nonetheless, many people continue to study psychoanalysis because of its ability to deal with complex and ambiguous topics such as the self, consciousness, and the nature of reality.