1856 – 1939
Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between patient and analyst. His theoretical contributions include the structural model of the mind (id, ego, superego), the interpretation of dreams as wish fulfillments, and the centrality of unconscious processes in shaping human behavior and belief.
Founded psychoanalysis as both a clinical practice and a theory of mind
Developed the topographic and structural models of the unconscious (id, ego, superego)
Introduced the interpretation of dreams as a method for accessing unconscious content
Articulated the theory of psychosexual development and its role in adult psychology
Applied psychoanalytic theory to religion, culture, and civilization in works such as The Future of an Illusion and Civilization and Its Discontents