title: Aspects of psychoanalytic theory: drives, defense, and the pleasure-unpleasure principle.
abstract: Freud explained certain fundamentally important aspects of mental motivation by assuming the existence of two drives, one libidinal and the other aggressive/destructive. Elements of this theory that seem invalid are identified and discussed, and revisions are proposed that appear to have more validity and greater clinical usefulness.
authors.affiliation: New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brenner
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D004328:Drive; D005619:Freudian Theory; D006801:Humans; D007323:Instinct; D007989:Libido; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D010990:Pleasure-Pain Principle; D011574:Psychoanalytic Theory