Unconscious motivation plays a prominent role. Most human behavior is the result of desires, impulses, and memories that have been repressed into an unconscious state, yet still influence actions.
The human mind consists of a tiny, conscious part that is available for direct observation and a much larger subconscious portion that plays an even more important role in determining behavior.
For example, a talented athlete who plays an uncharacteristically poor game could be acting on an unconscious desire to punish overbearing or inattentive parents. Unknown to the athlete, the substandard performance actually is communicating an important message.
Freud contended that repressed memories and desires are the origins of most mental disorders. Psychoanalysis was developed as a method of assisting you in bringing your unconscious thoughts to consciousness. This increased awareness of the causes for behavior and feelings then would assist you in modifying the undesired aspects of behavior.
