Freud's Psychodynamic Development

Controversial Development Sigmund Freud was among the first to try and understand the human mind using a scientific theory. Although, many of his theories are controversial, without his contributions to the field of psychology it may never have advanced to the level today. Sigmund Freud’s theories have been most commonly used as jokes especially when it comes to psychosexual development. However, Freud’s theories of psychodynamic development and psychosexual development would become the basis of all modern psychological theories. Sigmund Freud developed comprehensive theories of personality development also known as psychodynamic development theory. Freud held that the personality is comprised of three conflicting psychic structures:
Freud argued that there are two drives: self-preservation to meet the hunger and thirst and the Eros the driving sexually urges. These two drives reside in the id which contains all of our most primal instincts. According to Freud, we are born with our Id. The id is especially important as newborns because, it allows us to have our basic needs met. The id wants whatever feels good, with no consideration of reality. When a child is hungry, the id wants food, and therefore the child cries. When the child is needs to be changed, the child’s basic instinct is to cry in order to gain their desired state. At this stage the child does not take into account anything outside his own desires. When the id wants something, nothing else is important. In direct contrast with the id is the superego. The function of the superego is to contain all of our values, morals, and convictions.
This means he accepts Freud’s basic ideas as correct and has expanded on them. The primary difference between Freud and Erickson is that Erikson moves away from the sexual development and focuses more on ego and superego development. For example, where Freud’s first stage of development focuses on the breasts as a sexual object; Erikson’s first stage which also focuses on the developing infants mouth as more to do with trust and mistrust rather than any sexual condemnations. Another of Erikson’s departures from Freudian theory occurs in the seven to twelve year stage. During this stage Freud states that children are learning gender identity and beginning to use the ego more effectively. Erikson also believes that the ego is being used to a higher degree, but instead of analyzing the gender roll he looks at industry versus inferiority. These three renowned theorists all carry and share common ties with the basic ideas of Sigmund Freud, whether that tie is with the theory of ego or the stages of development or the object importance during a particular stage of development. They all derive their theory from Sigmund Freud. Freudian theory forms the basis for all modern psychology. Based on his clinical studies Freud would continue to develop theories about the unconscious mind and the workings of repression and created the methods used in psychoanalysis. It took a genius like Freud to develop a theory about common factors operating