Sigmund Freud on the Crowd.

Who was Sigmund Freud• Probably the most well known

Psychologist.

• He was Austrian.

• He lived from 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939.

• He created his own branch of psychology known as Psychoanalysis.

• He contributed greatly to the field of Psychotherapy and to theories of child development.

The Mind according to Freud.• Id: All your basic impulses and

emotions. Avoid pain and have pleasure.‘I want it now…’

• Ego: Your rational and negotiating part. Keeping the Id happy in a reasonable way.‘Lets find a good way to get it’

• Super Ego: Your principles and idealistic part. Striving for perfection.‘You shouldn’t have that’

What might each part of the mind be saying in the following situation

1. A friend pushes you.

2. You see a bar of chocolate on a table.

3. You have to do your homework.

4. You are jogging.

Freud on the Crowd.• According to Freud, the leader of

the crowd behaves like a hypnotist.

• He is able to temporarily suspend the Super Ego and unlock the Id. As a result we have anti social behavior.

• Therefore according to Freud, the crowd is motivated by impulse and feelings and behave akin to a child.

Task 1:• Compare and contrast the ideas of Freud and Le Bon on their

ideas of the Crowd.

• Using the example of the 2011 London Riots, how can a psychologist explain the vandalism and looting that took place in London.