Essay on The Comparison of Sigmund Freud and B.F. Skinner

The Comparison of Sigmund Freud and B.F. Skinner One name that jumps out at the mention of psychology, or the study there of, is the name of Sigmund Freud. Sigmund Freud is also known as the â€Å"Father of Psychoanalysis.† Freud was also known for having the tendency to trace nearly all psychological problems back to sexual issues. Although only parts of his theory of psychosexual development are still accepted by mainstream psychologists, Freuds theory of the Oedipal Complex has become a cultural icon (Freud, Sigmund, 2012). Freud is known for developing the use of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is based on the observation that people are often unaware of many of the things that determine their emotions and behavior. Psychoanalytic†¦show more content†¦Only later did he ask them to say whatever crossed their minds. This he called free association, and had already been described as the talking cure (â€Å"The Individual†). Just as Freud is known as the father of Psychoanalysis, B.F. Skinner is often referred to ask the â€Å"the father of operant conditioning.† B.F. Skinner is also known for major contributions to the field of psychology (About B.F. Skinner, Sept, 2012). Skinner was a prolific author, publishing nearly 200 articles and more than 20 books. Skinner was most known for his work in behavior psychology. Behavioral psychology is the psychological practice that focuses on learning new behaviors and how to modify our existing behavior and how that takes place (About B.F. Skinner, Sept, 2012). One of his major contributions was his theory of operant conditioning. Operant conditioning means roughly, the changing of behavior by the use of reinforcement, either positive or negative, and which these reinforcements are given after the desired response (About B.F. Skinner, Sept, 2012). Skinner identified three types of responses or operant that can follow behavior. While behaviorism is no longer a dominant school of thought, the work in operant conditioning remains today. Many different types of professionals utilize operant conditioning in society today. Mental health professionals often utilize operantShow MoreRelatedEssay about A Comparison of Two Schools of Psychology1007 Words   |  5 PagesA Comparison of Two Schools of Psychology There are many different schools of psychology, each have their own views and they all look at psychology from different perspectives. I am going to outline six perspectives and then compare and contrast two schools. 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