Within the textbook, you read about the contributions of several key figures in
psychology’s history. For each one, the author also provides background information about
their lives.
- Of these individuals, choose the one you thought was most interesting and explain why
you choose that person. - Consider aspects of their background, such as the education, religion, upbringing, the
society in which they lived, etc. Discuss how their background may have impacted their
views and shaped their perspectives on topics related to psychology.
Please elaborate on your main ideas thoroughly with supporting details and evidence,
taking into account the criteria listed in the Discussion Board grading rubric. It is accessed
it through the CSU Grading Rubric link found in the Learning Resources area of the
myCSU Student Portal. Your initial post should be no less than 200 words.
The book that we are using is; A HISTORY OF MODERN PSYCHOLOGY CHAPTER 2.
Sigmund Freud: Contribution in Psychology
Sigmund Freud was a renowned Austrian neurologist, whose works in psychology earned him
the title, “the father of psychoanalysis. He was born on 6 May 1856, and lived up to 23
December 1939. Having become a professor in 1902 after qualifying to be a doctor of medicine
at the University of Vienna, Freud was appointed a university lecturer in Neuropathology, and he
advanced his work regarding the study of aphasia and microscopic neuroanatomy, as well as
cerebral palsy at the Vienna General Hospital (Sheehy & Forsythe, 2013).
Freud’s contribution to the field of psychology has been nothing less than tremendous,
and even long after his death, he is still vividly remembered for being able to formulate a clinical
method of treating psychopathology, which basically involves dialogue between a patient and the
psychoanalyst (Schultz, 1969). Various aspects of Freud’s life contributed to his outstanding
performance and discoveries in psychology. For instance, when their family migrated from
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Freiberg to Manchester, Freud had to be separated from his soul friend, John. While this affected
his social life in his new environment, he came to learn the connection between social stability
and mental state. Practically, Freud struck a connection between relationships and how they
impact on one’s mental recovery (Schultz, 1969). His love for Poetry, particularly William
Shakespeare’s plays, had a resounding effect on his psychological advancements (Sheehy &
Forsythe, 2013). After his graduation from the medical school, his subsequent posting to the
Vienna hospital also emerges out as having had a share of contribution to what he finally
became. It is at this hospital that he got exposed to the psychiatric clinics, and this helped him to
further his research on cerebral anatomy.
Finally, Freud’s interaction with his tutor, Brentano, introduced him to the possible
existence of the unconscious mind. Overall, his great admiration of renowned academicians and
researchers helped him gain an understanding of what he aimed to do, thus culminating in a
historical discovery that has remained magnificent in the field of psychology.
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References
Schultz, D. P. (1969). A history of modern psychology. New York: Academic Press.
Sheehy, N. & Forsythe, A. (2013). “Sigmund Freud”. Fifty Key Thinkers in Psychology.