Why do psychologists set so much stock in Freud?

[Charlie M.]

when many of his proposals were ludicrous and he was a cocaine user?
excuse me, some of his THEORIES, such as the psychosexual stages, are merely ridiculous.

[saveitok]

Never liked him myself
I like Einstein and Leonardo Deviance and Winston Churchill

[Blue Hues]

Cocaine was only known to be an analgesic and Freud had jaw cancer btw. Since he was actually a psychiatrist it is interesting why psychologists still study him. But his basic concepts can be associated topographically to brain mapping. (and even Freud, along with Piaget after him, thought their theories would eventually be put to the test by neurology). Anyway Freud's Superego is mainly about rules and cultural norms. Today we find the frontal lobes of the brain serve to provide a brake on behaviour and that it is there that these higher order thought processes are stored. So there is merit to this aspect of Sigmund's theory (or should we call him Siggy?). The rest of the cerebral cortex easily figures into Siggy's concept of the role of the Ego. That is to mediate, regulate, and problem solve the issues of the day and the world. I am hoping you have a basic knowledge of brain function to understand this.
That leaves, of course, the Id. And in the brain the primeval functioning and emotion/impulse regulating center called the Limbic System (which is made up of several bodies you realize, like the thalmus and hypothalamus). The most primitive part of the lower brain is the brain stem, but that is not really for creating function, but, rather, for relaying the processes that are processed in the areas above.

I think there are other, even psychodynamic theories, that are more advanced in terms of personality concepts that can be associated with the brain, but this questions addresses Freud. And it is his shoulders upon which all the rest stand. That is the reason we still study him.

It's like in photography. Why do we study the pinhole camera in photo class? We don't use it. But it's interested and helps explain how we got to where we are. So thank you and have yourself a very nice evening! Cheers.

[psychologist_4u]

They don't. Many psychiatrists do, because Freud did break new ground. Which of his 'proposals' were ludicrous ? He had theories and beliefs not proposals. Psychologists BTW are a whole new ball-game to psychiatrists, Freud preached psychoanalytical psychotherapy, no psychologist uses that. [ well none I know of anyways ]

[nicnac_paddy_wac]

They don't anymore, because all of his theories that I know of have been disproven, he's just well-known because people used to set stock in him, and he did kind of get the ball roling.

[Christopher F]

Maybe because he set the foundation for many Psychological theories that have been proven over time to be true. Not to mention his work is now a textbook for Psychology students. And why are you hating on him for doing cocaine? Albert Einstein did drugs, does that make him less qualified to have done his job?

[scorion2984]

Over all he was a nut obsessed with sexual dominance in infancy... However having said that he gave a lot of foundational concepts that are used today... (Id - Ego - Super Ego) He is also considered the founder of the Psycho-dynamic School of Psychology...