National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level 2 (NCAC II) Practice Exam Exam

Which of the following is a characteristic of Freud's theory on development?

1. Focus on social behavior

2. Ignore childhood experiences

3. Emphasis on abnormal development

4. Study of normal adulthood development

The correct answer is: Emphasis on abnormal development

Freud's theory of development is heavily focused on the psychosexual stages that individuals go through from infancy to adulthood, and it places significant importance on how early childhood experiences shape an individual's personality and behavior. One of the key aspects of his theory is the concept that unresolved conflicts and fixations during these psychosexual stages can lead to abnormal behavioral patterns and disorders in later life. Therefore, the emphasis on abnormal development is a central characteristic of Freud's theory. Freud believed that understanding these conflicts and their impacts on an individual’s behavior could lead to insight and therapeutic healing. This focus on the manifestations of unresolved childhood experiences, particularly in a pathological context, distinguishes this aspect of his theory from other approaches that may focus more broadly on social behaviors, normal adult development, or disregarding childhood experiences entirely.