The field of psychology has grown to be respected as a science. Objectivity and the scientific
method are both part of the psychologist's mode of operation. However, even the greatest of psychologists can only
theorize about what makes human beings act the way they do. Absolutes are not part of psychology. Everything is
relative and open to speculation. Theorists give us their views or ideas about life. In the field of psychology, there have
been many different areas of interest. Human development is one of the most popular areas of interest for those who
study psychology. Freud, Erikson, and Piaget are all great theorists with different ideas concerning human development.
Each theorist developed ideas and stages for human development. Their theories on human development had human
beings passing through different stages. Each theory differed on what these stages were. These theories also differed
with their respect towards paradigmatic assumptions, learning and development, and relationship towards educational
practice. Freud is known as the father of psychology. Although some of his work has been dismissed, most of it still
holds weight in the world of psychology today. Freud believed that inner forces fueled human development. He believed
the most powerful of all inner forces was our sexual being. Freud linked everything with sex. This includes any bodily
pleasure whatsoever. Thus, when Freud discusses the sexual needs of children, they are not the Hartenstine 2 same
kind of sexual needs that an adult would experience. Children experienced sexual gratification in different ways. Sucking
their thumbs or retaining their excrement could be seen as sexual gratification for small children. Freud also specified
certain areas of our body as erogenous zones. Those areas included the mouth and genitals. This all fit in to Freud's
obsession with sex. An obsession that could be linked to the era t...