Freud and Sigmund are credited for defining the field of psychology. The two developed psychological theories that were different but helped to influence the perception of the human mind. The contribution of the two has led to the development of treatments for mental disorders. The two psychologists differed mostly in their theories.
Both Jung and Freud differed significantly on the role of sexuality in the personality of an individual. Freud was so occupied with sexuality and felt that sex significantly shaped the personality of an individual. The personal life of Freud, which he was so attached to the mother, inspired his ideas on sexuality. Freud noted that sex was the cause of psychological problems. Freud believed that normal sexual life of an individual was crucial for happiness. Most of the psychological interpretations by Freud leaned on sexuality. Jung, on the other hand, had a different opinion on personality. Jing believed that other factors influenced sexuality and that sexuality had nothing to do with personality. Throughout his life, Jung did not develop affection towards his mother. In most of Jung’s analysis, he did not use sexuality to define and symbolize issues (Smith, 2013).
The two psychologists additionally had differing opinions on the role of unconscious mind. According to Freud, unconscious mind controlled thoughts and memories and was instrumental in aggression and sexual drive. Freud saw the unconscious mind as a store of mental illness. Freud further divided the unconscious mind into id, ego, and super-ego. Jung emphasized more on the unconscious mind compared to Freud. Unlike Freud, Jung added a new dimension that was based on the personal and collective unconscious. The personal conscious mainly contained superficial information such as memories while the collective unconscious contained deeply hidden characteristics such inherited species. They additionally held similar opinions on the manner in which dreams unlocked the unconscious mind (Jung, 2014).
The two additionally differed on the role of religion in human psychology. According to Freud, religion was an “opium of the masses” which controlled beliefs. To Freud, religion had a psychological truth that caused distress within the heart of a person. Jung felt that religion offered a mechanism of communication among humans. Jung explored the issue of religion from different philosophical backgrounds. At some point, the two argued on the issue of religion with Jung being accused of anti-Semitism (Smith, 2013).
The issue of para-psychology offered another area of difference. Freud was a skeptic of para-psychology and believed that such a thing never existed or was beyond the understanding of the human. Jung found this field interesting and was often involved in studying the various issue on par-psychology. Jung investigates phenomenon such as synchronicity and telepathy, which were an important component of para-psychology. Jung’s interest in this field led to the development of his controversial theory of synchronicity (Jung, 2014).
In conclusion, Freud and Jung’s theories continue to elicit mixed discussions in the field of psychology. For researchers and learners, it is essential to understand the different personalities and the period in which the two lived in studying their differences. The two shared major similarities and often appreciated their intellectual abilities, which build their early friendship and engagement in deep conversations. The two theories are related to Jung’s theory being a foundation of Freud’s theory. The contributions of the two psychologists advanced research on the treatment of the various psychological disorder. Their discussions on the role of the unconscious mind in shaping personality are put to use to date.
Jung, C. G. (2014). The archetypes and the collective unconscious. Routledge.
Smith, D. L. (2013). Freud’s Philosophy of the Unconscious (Vol. 23). Springer Science & Business Media.