As You Read In Chapter 13 In His Seduction Theory Of Neurosi
As You Read In Chapter 13 In His Seduction Theory Of Neurosis Freud
As you read in Chapter 13, in his seduction theory of neurosis, Freud initially suggested that all neurotic behavior resulted from childhood sexual abuse. Under pressure from his colleagues, he later recanted this position. However, some psychoanalysts (Sandor Ferenczi, 1930; Jeffrey Masson, 1984) have questioned Freud's reversal, suggesting that it set back our understanding of the effects of childhood sexual abuse by a 100 years. What do you think? Before answering this question, you should compare Freud's initial seduction theory to his later theory of infantile sexuality. In the latter theory, he suggested that personality is formed as we move through several psychosexual stages in infancy and early childhood. See this week's handout on the Oedipus and Electra complexes, crises points that boys and girls experience during the phallic stage of psychosexual development. In comparing the two theories, the point is to catch the shift away from an emphasis on the effects of child sexual abuse and toward the role of childhood sexual desire in personality development. Remember that the word count for your response should be 200.
Paper For Above instruction
The evolution of Freud's theories concerning childhood experiences and their influence on neurosis marks a significant shift in psychoanalytic thought. Initially, Freud's seduction theory posited that all neuroses stemmed from repressed memories of childhood sexual abuse. He believed that traumatic encounters with adults in early childhood were the root cause of neurotic symptoms and that uncovering these repressed memories could lead to successful treatment (Freud, 1896). However, this theory faced considerable opposition from his colleagues, notably Carl Jung and others, who argued that it was implausible that all neuroses resulted from actual events, prompting Freud to revise his stance.
Freud’s subsequent development of the theory of infantile sexuality marked a crucial shift. Instead of emphasizing traumatic events, he proposed that sexual desires are innate and develop through specific psychosexual stages—oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital—that shape personality (Freud, 1905). Central to this later theory are the Oedipus and Electra complexes, which occur during the phallic stage, representing crises where children experience unconscious desires and conflicts that influence their future personality traits (Freud, 1905). This perspective shifted the focus from external trauma to internal psychosexual development, emphasizing that childhood sexual desire, rather than abuse, plays a fundamental role in personality formation.
The transition from the seduction theory to the theory of infantile sexuality reflects a move away from external explanations of neurosis toward an understanding of innate sexual drives shaping personality. While Freud's original emphasis on childhood sexual abuse may have delayed recognition of abuse effects, his later focus underscores the importance of internal desire and developmental processes. This shift has profound implications for psychoanalytic practice and our understanding of human development, suggesting that internal conflicts rooted in innate desires are central to neurosis, rather than solely traumatic events.
References
Freud, S. (1896). The Aetiology of Hysteria. In J. Strachey (Ed. and Trans.), The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. 3). Hogarth Press.
Freud, S. (1905). Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality. SE, 7.
Ferenczi, S. (1930). Confusion of Tongues: Essays and Addresses. Jason Aronson.
Masson, J. (1984). The Assault on Truth: Freud's Suppression of the Seduction Theory. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Gedo, J. (2004). The legacy of Freud's seduction theory. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 21(1), 123-137.
Shammas, C. (2015). The History of Psychoanalysis: An Introduction. Routledge.
Benjamin, J. (1998). The bonds of love: Psychoanalysis, feminism, and the problem of domination. Routledge.
Brown, P. (1996). The Freud/Jung Letters. Princeton University Press.
Kohut, H. (1971). The Analysis of the Self. International Universities Press.
Roudinesco, E. (2016). Freud: In His Time and Ours. Harvard University Press.