Sociology Plus
Psychohistory Definition
Psychohistory is the psychoanalytic approach applied to historical study, focusing either on the psychological development of historical figures or the Weltanschauung (worldview) of a particular historical period. This methodology attempts to relate Sigmund Freud’s theories of psychological development to the prevailing social conditions and institutions of that era, or to the significant life events experienced by specific individuals.
Practitioners and Applications
A notable practitioner within this genre is the American psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, whose works, such as Childhood and Society (1950) and Life History and the Historical Moment (1975), exemplify this approach. The method has been used to analyse historical figures and intellectual movements by linking their personal narratives to broader societal structures.
Historical Context
This form of analysis was applied to major figures in social science, such as Max Weber, whose life and work were examined through a similar psychoanalytic lens by Arthur Mitzman in The Iron Cage (1969).