Psychoanalysis was founded by

Appeared in: RRB Nsg. Superintendent-20 July 2019 (Shift-2)

Explanation

Sigmund Freud, an Austrian neurologist, is credited with founding the school of thought known as psychoanalysis in the late 19th century.
His theory revolutionized the understanding of the human mind by introducing concepts like the unconscious, psychosexual development, and the structural model of personality (Id, Ego, and Superego).
Psychoanalysis as a therapy focuses on bringing repressed fears and conflicts from the unconscious into the conscious mind through techniques like dream analysis and free association.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option B: Alfred Adler was an early associate of Freud but split from him to develop his own distinct theory.
Option C: Hans Eysenck was a 20th-century personality theorist, not the founder of psychoanalysis. His work is associated with trait theory and behaviorism.
Option D: Carl Jung was another prominent member of Freud's inner circle who later broke away to form his own school of thought.

Related Visual

A diagram showing Freuds model of the mind as an iceberg. The tip above the water is the Conscious mind, the part just below the surface is the Preconscious, and the vast,...

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Founder of Psychoanalysis as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the historical roots of psychotherapy helps nurses appreciate the evolution of mental health treatment and the basis for many modern therapeutic approaches.
Concepts from psychoanalysis, such as defense mechanisms (e.g., denial, projection, rationalization), are still widely used in nursing to understand patient behaviors and coping strategies in response to illness and stress.
What if? If a patient with a new, serious diagnosis insists 'there's nothing wrong with me,' a nurse with knowledge of psychodynamic concepts can recognize this as the defense mechanism of 'denial' rather than a lack of understanding, allowing for a more empathetic and therapeutic approach to patient education.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests knowledge of the history of psychology.
First, identify the key term in the question: 'Psychoanalysis'.
Access your memory of major figures in psychology and their primary contributions.
Evaluate the options provided. All are significant psychologists, but only one is credited with founding psychoanalysis.
Differentiate their roles: Freud is the founder of psychoanalysis. Adler and Jung were early followers who broke away to create their own theories (Individual Psychology and Analytical Psychology, respectively). Eysenck is from a different tradition (trait theory).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Founder of Psychoanalysis
Stem keywords: Psychoanalysis, founded by
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QCFtXqarMXiJ6uf4n5bnqT

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 15125-15127

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) pp. 3314-3316, 3313-3315

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