Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Freudian thinking refers to theories proposed by Sigmund Freud, particularly those related to unconscious desires, sexual and aggressive instincts, dream interpretation, defense mechanisms and psychosexual development stages.
A therapeutic technique founded by Freud that aims at treating mental disorders by investigating the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements in the mind.
Id, Ego & Superego: These are three parts of the psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche; they describe different aspects of personality.
These are psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and maintain self-image. Common examples include denial, repression and projection.