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Psychoanalysis and Education. Dr. P. Häberlin.
On the Theory of Inversion. Hans Blüher.
Anal Eroticism. The Tendency to Anxiety and Obstinacy. Dr. Hans von Hattingberg.
1. Psychoanalysis and education.—The question asked by the author is: What has psychoanalysis to do with education. In order to understand
psychoanalysis wholly, three aspects must be sharply discriminated: (1) Psychoanalysis is a method of psychological investigation; (2) psychoanalysis is also a “sane or consistent system of psychological knowledge, views, theories, presuppositions,” of which the principal one is that of psychical causality; (3) it is a definite therapeutic practice, which goes hand in hand with investigation.
In trying to answer the question of the relation of psychoanalysis to education, one must distinguish between the purpose and the method of education. The purpose is always an ideal, the method a means of reaching that ideal. Psychoanalysis has nothing to do with the purpose of education. In the last analysis, ideals rest on immediate judgments of value. But with possible methods of education psychoanalysis does have something to say.
One of the most important ways of helping education is by means of the individual psychology of the pupil. So far psychoanalysis helps. By its means may be distinguished the “normal” or “retarded.” If the pupil is normal no further analysis is needed, but if not it is necessary. This is true not only of the obviously sick pupil, but also of the normal, occasionally—cases of apparently unemotional lying, anxious states, absentmindedness, etc., need psychoanalysis.
Right here, however, the author warns against the possible misuse of psychoanalysis with children. If things are going on all right the unconscious should be left unconscious. It is only when there are serious disturbances and inhibitions that it should be invoked. The author maintains that psychoanalysis is a two-edged knife, liable to do damage when being used for good pur