Father of psychoanalysis:

Appeared in: KPSC Staff Nurse - 2021

Explanation

Sigmund Freud is acclaimed as the father of psychoanalysis, a major school of thought in psychology.
His theory revolutionized the understanding of the human mind by introducing concepts like the unconscious, psychosexual development, and defense mechanisms.
Freud structured personality into three parts: the id (primal urges), the ego (reality-based), and the superego (moral conscience).
Psychoanalysis as a therapeutic method involves exploring unconscious thoughts and feelings to resolve psychological conflicts.

Option A: Erik Erikson was a psychoanalyst who developed his own theory of psychosocial development, which is distinct from Freud's classical psychoanalysis.
Option C: Abraham Maslow was a leading figure in humanistic psychology, a school of thought that emerged as a reaction against psychoanalysis and behaviorism.
Option D: John B. Watson is known as the father of behaviorism, which focuses on observable behaviors rather than internal mental states, making it fundamentally different from psychoanalysis.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain History of Psychology and Key Theorists as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding foundational psychological theories helps nurses, especially in mental health, to comprehend patient behaviors and defense mechanisms.
Knowledge of Freud's concepts like transference and countertransference is crucial for establishing a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship.
Assessing a patient's developmental stage, using frameworks from theorists like Freud and Erikson, can provide insights into their current challenges and coping abilities.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of the history of psychology.
First, identify the key term in the question: 'psychoanalysis'.
Next, recall the major figures associated with different schools of psychology.
Associate Sigmund Freud directly with the founding of psychoanalysis.
Differentiate Freud from the other options: Erikson (psychosocial development), Maslow (humanistic psychology), and Watson (behaviorism).
Select the option that correctly matches the theorist to the theory.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Psychology Applied Sreevani 5e p. 103-105

E6 Psychology Applied Sreevani 6e Sem1 p. 104-106

Practise the full KPSC Staff Nurse - 2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.