Methods of Research into the Unconscious

Although the concept of the Unconscious was common in the 19th century, Freud attempted to put research onto a systematic footing from the 1890s, using a clinical method. However, Freud's scientific achievements have been subsequently questioned. Many attempts to research into the unconscious mind have been tried, and a critical survey of the extra-clinical methods is needed. The book is stimulated by this real need, and aims to be a collection of approaches by those investigating unconscious processes in social sciences, experimental psychology, and organisational studies. The collection outlines a wide range of psychoanalytic research methods and illustrates them with engaging examples.The general aim of the book is to address:a. the use of psychoanalysis as a theory for generating hypotheses;b. methods employed for collecting data appropriate for inferring unconscious contents and process; andc. psychoanalytic methods appropriate for analysing such data.Our choice of book chapters allows for linking the different applications of psychoanalysis to explore the methodological issues regarding inferences about unconscious processes. Whilst we do not expect to provide a 'how-to' manual, we aim to help think about the more basic questions of matching research projects to specific methodologies.