SACE Stage 1 Psychology Practice Exam

The concept of the unconscious mind is primarily attributed to Sigmund Freud, who founded psychoanalysis. Freud proposed that a significant portion of human behavior is influenced by unconscious processes, including repressed memories, desires, and instincts that individuals may not be consciously aware of. He suggested that the unconscious mind plays a crucial role in shaping feelings, thoughts, and actions, leading to the development of techniques such as free association and dream analysis to explore these unconscious influences.

Freud's work laid the foundation for understanding the complexities of human psychology, emphasizing that not all mental processes are directly accessible to conscious awareness. Other psychologists, like Carl Jung, later built on or contrasted with Freud's ideas but did not create the concept of the unconscious mind itself. Meanwhile, Jean Piaget focused on cognitive development and learning in children, and Ivan Pavlov is known for his research on classical conditioning, neither of which directly pertains to the concept of the unconscious mind as Freud defined it.