On Mon, 31 Mar 2003, Doug Henwood wrote:
> Miles Jackson wrote:
>
> >Despite the popularity of Freud in the broader academic and
> >popular culture, many actual psychologists who do research and
> >develop theories pretty much ignore his work, for two simple
> >reasons: (1) many psychodynamic ideas cannot be adequately tested
> >and (2) when people have systematically tested psychodynamic
> >ideas, they are often inconsistent with data (e.g., the idea
> >of catharsis).
>
> Catharsis? Are you saying that's an important part of psa?
>
> Doug
>
Catharsis is a fundamental concept for Freud. Release the unconscious conflict indirectly (e.g., by watching violent sports or Macbeth), and direct manifestations of aggression should be reduced. That's psychoanalysis 101 as I understand it!
Miles