Freud

Definition

Sigmund Freud was an influential psychologist who developed psychoanalysis, a theory of personality that emphasized the role of unconscious desires and conflicts in shaping behavior. He believed that early childhood experiences had a significant impact on an individual's development.

Related terms

Psychoanalysis: A therapeutic approach developed by Freud to explore unconscious conflicts by analyzing dreams, free association, and other techniques.

Unconscious: The part of the mind that contains thoughts, memories, and desires that are not currently conscious or accessible to awareness.

Psychosexual stages: According to Freud's theory, these are five distinct stages of development during childhood where pleasure-seeking energies are focused on different erogenous zones.