Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)Freud was born in Freiberg, Moravia, and died in London, England. He belonged to Vienna, where he resided for eighty years. His long life spans one of the most creative periods in the history of science. When Freud was three years old, his family took him to Vienna, where he saw the publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species. The following year Gustav Fechner founded the science of psychology. He demonstrated that the mind could be studied scientifically and measured quantitatively. Darwin and Fechner ended up having a huge impact on Freud's intellectual development. Although Freud studied medicine and received a medical degree from the University of Vienna in 1881, he never intended to practice medicine. He entered university at the age of 17 and undertook his first research in 1876. This research consisted of recondite tests on eels. After finishing this research, he began to devote himself to the nervous system. When Freud began practicing medicine, he realized that he had the gift of specializing in nervous disorders. He went to Paris for a year studying Charcoat's method of healing. Freud was disappointed to discover that hypnosis would only work for a short period of time. Freud then began to study a man Joseph Breuer. It was then that Freud learned the technique of “expressing one's problems”. This was the turning point in Freud's scientific life. It was then that Freud became a psychological investigator. His laboratory was a room in which he treated his patients, his only equipment was a sofa and his data was the ongoing conversations of his patients. In 1890 Freud began to analyze his own behavior and unconscious thoughts. In this way he was able to ... middle of paper ......, which helps the child develop trust towards those who take care of him. The final stage is integrity versus despair which occurs during late adulthood, when the individual begins to evaluate how they have lived their life. Through their theories, works and lives we can see many differences and similarities between these two influential theorists. From Freud's five psychosexual stages to Erikson's eight psychosocial stages, it is easy to see that these two psychologists have created a springboard for all psychologists and people to study and look back on as we develop in our lives today. Works Cited Hall, C. (1954). A Primer of Freudian Psychology. New York: The World Publishing Company Gross, F. (1987). Presentation of Erik Erikson: an invitation to his thoughts. Lanham: University Press of America.Stevens, R. (1983).Erik Erikson. New York: St. Martin's Press.