The enduring scientific contributions of Sigmund Freud.

Full Abstract

Through the development of a novel observational method, Sigmund Freud made possible the collection of reliable data about man's inner life. The scientific hypotheses he formulated about these formed the initial version of psychoanalysis. Many of these first thoughts have had to be revised in the light of subsequent scientific findings about the operations of the central nervous system, but even these refuted propositions often had much heuristic value. Despite the passage of a whole century, many Freudian hypotheses have retained their scientific standing. Most important among these was Freud's realization that human thought is usually unconscious. His understanding of the role of the automatic repetition of basic patterns of behavior, of the fateful consequences of early childhood emotional vicissitudes in structuring enduring mental dispositions, and of the distinction between two distinct modes of thinking are the most significant among his many contributions.

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Author information

Author/s: Gedo, John E (JE);

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Biography; Historical Article; Journal Article

Journal: Perspectives in biology and medicine (Perspect Biol Med), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-; vol 45 (issue 2) : pp 200-11

Dates: Created 2002/03/28; Completed 2002/05/09; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 11919379, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Austria
History, 20th Century
Humans
Portraits as Topic

Portraits as Topic
Psychoanalysis - history; standards
Psychoanalytic Theory
Unconscious (Psychology)

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