In what ways can psychoanalysis be used as a form of critical Essay

In what ways can psychoanalysis be used as a form of critical theory.Discuss, with specific reference to at least two theorists - Essay Example The particular theoretical concept could be also described using different theoretical elements; it is for this reason that through the years psychoanalysis has been evaluated by theorists in accordance with a series of different criteria; the analysis made and the explanations given for the different aspects of psychoanalysis are strongly related with the social conditions of each specific era and the personal views of each theorist taking into account the fact that all parts/ sectors of psychology cannot be standardized; instead they can present many different forms under the terms already explained above (social and cultural characteristics of a specific society, level of knowledge and personal experiences of the theorists involved). However, it has been stated that ‘in classical psychoanalysis, the fundamental subject matter of psychoanalysis is the unconscious patterns of life as they become revealed through the analysands (the patients) free associations’ (MentalHe lp.net, online article). In other words, the evaluation of the methods used in the psychoanalysis could be based on specific standards; but this assumption involves mostly to the classical form of the specific scientific sector; it is not related with each various sub-forms. On the other hand, psychoanalysis has been transformed through the years in order to meet the trends of each society and the needs of people around the world. The specific issue was examined by Fogany (1999) who came to the result that ‘the aims of psychoanalysis have been greatly elaborated over the hundred years since Freuds original model of undoing repression and recovering memory into consciousness (see for example Sandler & Dreher, 1997); but these advances have not brought with them an updating of the role of memory in the therapeutic process, nor a clear and consistent theory of therapeutic effect’ (Fonagy, 1999, online article). In the above context, psychoanalysis