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🥸intro to psychology review

Pierre Janet

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

Pierre Janet was a pioneering French psychologist and psychotherapist who made significant contributions to the understanding of dissociative disorders. He is considered one of the founders of the modern concept of dissociation and its role in psychological trauma and mental health.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Pierre Janet proposed that dissociation was a defense mechanism used by the mind to cope with traumatic experiences, leading to the development of dissociative disorders.
  2. Janet's work on dissociation laid the foundation for the modern understanding of dissociative identity disorder (previously known as multiple personality disorder).
  3. Janet's theory of dissociation emphasized the role of subconscious mental processes in the development and maintenance of dissociative symptoms.
  4. Janet's research on dissociation and its relationship to psychological trauma has been influential in the field of trauma-informed care and the treatment of dissociative disorders.
  5. Janet's contributions to the study of dissociation have had a lasting impact on the field of psychology and continue to be relevant in the understanding and treatment of dissociative disorders.

Review Questions

  • Explain how Pierre Janet's work on dissociation has influenced the modern understanding of dissociative disorders.
    • Pierre Janet's pioneering research on dissociation laid the groundwork for the modern conceptualization of dissociative disorders. He proposed that dissociation was a defense mechanism used by the mind to cope with traumatic experiences, leading to a disconnection between a person's thoughts, feelings, memories, and sense of identity. Janet's theory emphasized the role of subconscious mental processes in the development and maintenance of dissociative symptoms, which has been instrumental in the field of trauma-informed care and the treatment of dissociative disorders, such as dissociative identity disorder.
  • Describe the relationship between Pierre Janet's work on dissociation and the understanding of psychological trauma.
    • Pierre Janet's research on dissociation highlighted the critical link between psychological trauma and the development of dissociative symptoms. He theorized that dissociation was a defense mechanism used by the mind to cope with emotionally and psychologically overwhelming events, leading to a disconnection between a person's thoughts, feelings, memories, and sense of identity. Janet's work has been influential in the field of trauma-informed care, as it has helped to elucidate the ways in which traumatic experiences can shape an individual's mental health and contribute to the development of dissociative disorders.
  • Evaluate the lasting impact of Pierre Janet's contributions to the study of dissociation and its relevance in the contemporary understanding and treatment of dissociative disorders.
    • Pierre Janet's groundbreaking work on dissociation has had a profound and lasting impact on the field of psychology. His theory that dissociation is a defense mechanism used to cope with traumatic experiences has been instrumental in the modern conceptualization of dissociative disorders, such as dissociative identity disorder. Janet's emphasis on the role of subconscious mental processes in the development and maintenance of dissociative symptoms has been pivotal in the development of trauma-informed care and the treatment of dissociative disorders. Even today, Janet's contributions continue to be highly relevant in the understanding and treatment of these complex mental health conditions, as researchers and clinicians build upon his foundational work to further elucidate the intricate relationship between psychological trauma, dissociation, and mental health.