Psychoanalytic and Dream Theory, Free Association, and Transference

Psychoanalytic Theory
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Psychoanalytic Theory
Introduction
Theories form an essential part of the acquisition and development of knowledge. Typically, there are four stages involved in developing a theory CITATION Ito19 \l 1033 (Ito, Gimenez, & Junior, 2019). These include a careful investigation and research, collection of research results related to the problems, and then analysis of outcomes based on existing theories. Then, the researchers formed a hypothesis about the problem at this stage. It is the key to putting forward new ideas and methods. Thirdly, the researchers mainly design and arrange experiments and observations to test whether the new conclusions deduced from the new hypothesis are correct. Lastly, the researchers conclude their hypothesis and ensure the experimental results are repeatable. However, the development of the Psychoanalytic theory did not follow this rigorous scientific process. Furthermore, Freud relied primarily on anecdotal evidence, through several case studies, to support its validity, leading to the wide criticism the theory has received among scholars. Therefore, the current paper aims to establish the limitations of Freud's approach to theory development based on the dream theory, free association, and transference (the three critical aspects of Psychoanalytic theory).
Limitations of Feud’s Approach to the Development of Psychoanalytic Theory
Freud’s psychoanalytic theory has been subject to debates based on various claims on how he arrived at his conclusions. Freud's psychoanalytic dream theory was primarily based purely on anecdotal evidence, and there was no scientific experimentation, except for case studies, to support the evidence. The anecdotal aspect of Freud’s theory implies that much of the evidence used in evaluating the study is unrepresentative (Solms, 2018). Freud mostly observed himself, his patients, and a child to draw his conclusions. That betrays the fundamentals of generalization that scientific studies require to reach the set thresholds for validity and reliability. These include systematics approaches or methodologies that can be replicated to produce similar or related outcomes.
The weakness of anecdotal evidence has been judged on multiple grounds. Health outcomes bear no predictability to any individual, which means observations from one subject are not necessarily feasible in a different subject. The impacts of a health factor on an individual cannot be expressed as a certainty but only as a probability. Hence, an intervention in healthcare can only be judged based on how it alters the probability of survival. Additionally, the impacts of various interventions can be subtle and small. Interventions that enhance chances of wellness by approximately 10%, for instance, can be challenging to measure and deliver specific outcomes (Solms, 2018). Ultimately, interventions need re-testing, which can be impossible in anecdotal conclusions. If one has a migraine, he/she stands a chance of completing the test of intervention just once, as it can be challenging to deliver reliable findings with probable varying sample frames in the subsequent experience of a migraine. Hence, while case studies are fundamental in scientific research, it becomes questionable if a theory is developed solely based on evidence from case studies.
Dream Theory
Freud's psychoanalytic theory has also been deconstructed based on a range of unsubstantiated claims that he made amidst concluding the theory. Freud claimed that "dreams are short." Even with a little explanation of what warrants a dream to be tagged as short, scientific studies have proven that dreams cannot be generalized as short. In a study rapid eye movement phase (REM), Uitermarkt et al. (2020) noted that dreams occur when the brain activity is escalated and resembles the state of being awake. The length of a dream can change depending on the duration that an individual takes to complete the REM phase. Uitermarkt et al. (2020) assert that while some dreams can take as short as 5 seconds, others can last as long as 20 or 30 minutes. Hence, a claim that dreams are short bears no scientific basis. Freud further claimed that “all dreams include residue of that day's events." Scientists have consistently debunked the unique manner in which dreams occur. According to O'Connor (2010), many of the things that happen in a dream are unique to that particular dream.
Dreams are further subdivided into two stages, with each stage manifesting value in completing such a dream. According to O'Connor (2010), there is a day residue stage in which the events of an individual's day can influence part of the dream. The second stage constitutes the dream lag phase in which the day's events disappear from the dream only to reappear a week or more later. Hence, dreams do not only i...