Opinion

Why Sigmund Freud’s theories are too questionable to be credible

Kaitlin Krambach

Nov. 15, 2023

Sigmund Freud, arguably the most influential mind in the world of psychology, is not a reliable source. His theories have been detrimental to the way we view the mind, not to mention led to the creation of talk therapy (which is widely used today). However despite his practical contributions to the field, he possessed numerous questionable ideals surrounding family relationships. Lying in his Theory of Psychosexual Development and Oedipus Complex theory, his skewed mindset is prominent and quite repulsing. 

The Theory of Psychosexual Development states that the personality adults develop throughout their childhood in five stages: the oral stage, anal stage, phallic stage, latent stage, and finally the genital stage. This relates to one of his less controversial theories, the Theory of Psyche. This states, essentially, the most primitive part of your mind (the id) guides you through each of the psychosexual stages. Freud was out of his mind. To think that a child, an infant nonetheless, would be driven by these sexual stages is absurd and slightly predatory. 

Developing during the phallic stage of development, the Oedipus Complex describes a time in a young boy’s life where he will unconsciously become attracted to his own mother, while simultaneously becoming cold, and even hostile, toward his own father. This, of course, is ridiculous. Freud doesn’t stop there. He goes on to state that, in the Electra Complex (the Oedipus Complex’s counterpart), a young girl will dislike her mother and feel attraction toward her father. 

Although there is no doubt that Sigmund Freud is a revolutionary psychologist, he was not a good one. 

This article was written by journalism students at Waynesboro High School.