Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist who is noted for his work in the field of psychoanalysis. He is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the history of psychology.
Freud’s theories on personality and behavior, which form the basis of psychoanalysis, have exerted a profound influence on psychology and other fields in the humanities, especially literature and sociology. He believed that humans were driven by two basic instincts: Eros (the life instinct) and Thanatos (the death instinct). He also believed that people are motivated by their unconscious thoughts and feelings, which are often hidden from them by their conscious minds.
In 1905, Freud published his Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, an early statement of his views on human sexuality that he developed into a more comprehensive theory in The Ego and Id (1923). His 1913 work Totem and Taboo brought to light many now-familiar concepts, including the Oedipus complex. In 1938 he published Moses and Monotheism, which hypothesized that Moses was a manifestation of a repressed memory from Egyptian history.
Although he was one of the first scientists to study dreams and their meaning, Freud had little success explaining them to his patients. He believed dreams were often disguises for latent desires or wishes that people did not want to admit openly.
Freud had a large number of followers who helped develop his ideas through what was called “psychoanalytic therapy.”
