The Stages of Ego

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the ego theories of Sigmund Freud, claiming that they are still very active in the modern psychoanalytical, psychological, and sociological theory landscapes. The paper contends that Freud's theories of personality and ego are arguably just as relevant today as his theories on society, religion, and individual motivational states, even though they were formed when individualism rather than collectivism was the main direction of European society.

From the Paper:

"Although Freud has drawn some criticism from other theoretical areas for his focus on psychosexual motivations and the inherent self-projection which this brings up in relation to him, his theories are still held to be relatively credible, as he operated in a medical community during his life. Despite his contributions to modern thought, some commentators wonder whether or not Freud was really investigating universal conditions or whether he was simply looking deeply into his own psyche. "The question remains, did Freud base the theories on his own life or has his insight into his own life allowed him to uncover the unconscious drives in all of us?" (Sigmund Freud, 2003). Whatever the answer, the applicability of his psychoanalytical theories in the present is seen to be inherently viable in terms of defining individual motivations within a concept of providing background for the Freudian perspective, leading to specifics of Freud's theory on ego."

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