Freudian psychoanalysis

Definition

A form of therapy developed by Sigmund Freud that focuses on the unconscious mind and childhood experiences as determinants of mental health. It emphasizes techniques such as dream analysis, free association, and interpretation of symbols.

Related terms

Id:

The primal part of the personality that operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification.

Ego:

The part of the personality that mediates between the id's desires and reality, operating on the reality principle.

Superego:

The internalized set of moral standards within an individual's conscience.