A number of quantitative, empirical studies of the psychoanalytic process have been carried out to test a theory of the mind, psychopathology, and therapy based on concepts derived from Freud's ego psychology. The theory we tested assumes that the patient suffers from unconscious pathogenic beliefs that hinder the pursuit of certain important goals, and that in therapy the patient works in accordance with an unconscious plan to disprove these beliefs by testing them with the therapist. The patient controls his repressions unconsciously, lifting them when he decides unconsciously that he may safely do so.