forms) and the pleasure principle--with caution, however, because the learning theories have not fully incorporated the fantasy production feature of the Freudian principle.
One of Freud's major contributions to psychology, and ultimately to educational psychology, was his revelation of the importance of the unconscious. As Freud pointed out, only a small fraction of human memories and experiences are within the scope of consciousness--that is capable of being thought of at will. This is important for teachers to understand. No matter how hard they try to maintain objectivity, their reactions to their students will be swayed by the halo effect, cognitive dissonance, and projection. One reason psychologists urge using controlled techniques of evaluation is that they minimize the impact of these unsystematic influences (Biehler, 1974, pp. 518-519).
Freud also suggested that there are critical periods in the development of human infants and young children. Freud stated that there were six stages of development. The first was the oral stage (birth to one year), whereby the mouth region provides greatest sensual satisfaction. According to Freud, unfortunate
...