The various components of our conscious and subconscious the id, ego, and superego lives in all of us and affects what we do and think, according to Sigmund Freud. Freud was a pioneer in the field of psychology for his various theories. Arguably Freud’s most important contribution to the field of psychology is his psychodynamic theory. The studies of the differences in the conscious and subconscious within what we think and what we do. Freud’s theories may be outdated having been developed in the early twentieth century, but concerning his psychodynamic theory it has been the foundation for many more psychologist to develop their own theories and ideas. Thus, making the study of Freud’s psychodynamic theory imperative for us as a society to study for future generations. The first of Freud’s divisions of one’s personality is the Id. The Id is exists from birth it directs one to avoid pain and to seek pleasure in life. The id controls two main instincts, one is a reproductive instinct for life, whereas the other is an aggressive death instinct almost like a fight response in one’s brain (Wade Tavris 40). The Id is always in a constant want of immediate satisfaction. The Id is our primal instinct from birth to always seek out pleasure, or our wants when humanly possible, and to avoid pain at all costs (Basirizadeh Harati 2). Due to these two conflicting instincts that reside in our personalities, there is always tension in the Id. This tension can be eased in many different forms, from a physical reaction to the tension to an impact on one’s mental state with uncensored images and immoral thoughts. The id lives in our subconscious while it motivates us toward pleasure and avoiding pain (Wade Tavris 40). Next is the Ego, the buff... ... middle of paper ... ... still used today, along with his findings of the Oedipus complex. The world has changed in the last century in many different ways, yet Freud and his theories are still being referenced and used by our modern society. Works Cited Basirizadeh, Fatemeh Sadat, and Maryam Harati. "Oedipal identity of the patriarch in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's The Autumn of The Patriarch/Identite oedipienne du patriarche de L'Automme Du Patriarche de Gabriel Garcia Marquez." Canadian Social Science 7.5 (2011): 140+. Academic OneFile. Web. 8 Mar. 2014. Emmerson, Gordon. "Ego State personality theory." Australian Journal of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Hypnosis 33.2 (2011): 5+. Academic OneFile. Web. 8 Mar. 2014. Hartman, David, and Diane Zimberoff. "Ego States in Heart-Centered therapies." Journal of Heart Centered Therapies 6.1 (2003): 47+. Academic OneFile. Web. 8 Mar. 2014.
Primarily, one of the dominant and fundamental theoretical variances concerning Freud and Jung’s personality theories was that relating to their opposing notions regarding the unconscious human mind. Firstly, Freud understood that the centre of ones inhibited beliefs and distressing recollections was found in the unconscious mind. Freud stated that the human mind focuses on three constructs: namely the id, the ego and the super ego. He claimed that the id shaped ones unconscious energy. Freud said that it is not limited by ethics and morals, but as an alternative simply aims to fulfil ones desires. The id strives to keep with the “pleasure principle, which can be understood as a demand to take care of needs immediately.” (Boere) The next unconscious
Freud’s theory is based on the idea that ones personality is derived from conflicts that stem from both our conscious and unconscious mind. To better understand how these conflicts arise he divided the mind into theoretical categories which include the id, ego, and superego.
Sigmund Freud was born in 1856 to Jewish Galician parents in the Moravian town of Pribor in the Austrian Empire (“Sigmund Freud” n. pag). During his education in the medical field, Freud decided to mix the career fields of medicine and philosophy to become a psychologist (“Sigmund Freud” n. pag). During his research as a psychologist, he conceived the Structural Model Theory, which he discussed in his essay Beyond the Pleasure Principle. The theory states that the human psyche is divided into three main parts: the id, ego, and super-ego (“Id, Ego, and Super-ego” n. pag). He concluded that the id was the desire for destruction, violence and sex; the ego was responsible for intellect and dealing with reality; and the super-ego was a person’s sense of right and wrong and moral standards (Hamilton, n. pag). Freud argued that a healthy individual will have developed the strongest ego to keep the id and super-ego in check (“Id, Ego, and Super-ego” n. p...
Sigmund Freud’s theories on the construction of the mind are simple, but fundamentally changed the field of psychology. He proposed, among other things, that the human mind is composed of three parts: the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious. The preconscious consists of information, such as a telephone number, that is “accessible to consciousness without emotional resistance” (Schellenberg 21). In Freud’s estimation, the unconscious is the most important area of the mind. The information stored within it has “very strong resistances” to becoming conscious (Freud 32). Residing in the unconscious is the id, which “contains everything…that is present at birth… – above all, therefore, the instincts which originate from somatic organization” (14). From birth, all action is instinctual, from the id. The id recognizes and entertains no desires but its own and is impatient to have its needs met. This phase lasts until a part of the id changes “under the influence of the real external world” (14). This changed portion b...
In addition to Freud’s stages of development his best-known concepts are those of the id, ego, and superego (Crain, p. 268). The id personality called ‘the unconscious” is the personality that focuses on maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain through reflexes and drives such as hunger or bladder tensions (Crain, pp. 268-269). The id concept is impulsive, chaotic and unrealistic.
Mental health: we can all peer into the looking glass and be reflective on a time that our mental health was not in an optimal state. However, in society, even today, there is still quite a stigma in regards to what mental health is and how to treat it. These theories and opinions ebb and flow and often when you account for the zeitgeist of a particular era, the attitudes and beliefs that are prominent are quite logical in terms of explanatory power. In the mid 1800’s to the early 1930’s, the Freudian psychodynamic theory of mental health was favoured; this involved a more qualitative approach, and many of Freud’s theories revolved around case studies in which his patients were experiencing hysteria or conflict in the conscious and subconscious mind. Freud believed that talking therapy could uncover the subconscious and could resolve any mental dissonance that was
Freud focussed on the idea that personality is made up of unconscious and conscious drives, which could be illustrated by the design of an ice berg (see diagram 1). Freud suggested that, like with the biggest part of an ice berg being under water, most of the personality was unconscious. He split the mind into three main categories: the id, the ego and the super ego. He defined the Id as the pleasure principle that represented a person’s innate desires and drives. The superego represented a form of conscience that provided a means to live morally and righteously. In order to mediate between the polarities of the superego and the id, Freud suggested that the ego worked as the reality principle and mediated between the two desires; thus achieving the desires of the Id, whilst still satisfying the morality of the
In Freud’s research on the mind he found three functional areas--the id, the superego, and the ego. These interrelated parts permit the self to function in society. The id is the innermost component of the three. It is the extreme unconscious. This is where the child-like unsocialized drives and instinctual impulses arise. The id knows no rules and does not abide to any external logical laws. It is only ruled by the desire for pleasure. When the id sees something it wants, all it says is, "I want that, I want that, I want that," like a young child in a toy store. The id is selfish; it represents self-centeredness in its purest form.
Over the years, people have wondered what goes on in a person's mind that guides them to meet their needs. Sigmund Freud developed a system of personality that boldly attempts to explain the course of personality and what was it origins. Freud theory assumes that one's personality is shaped and some powerful inner forces motivate one's behavior. According to Freud, personality differences commence from the different ways in which people deal with their underlying drives. By picturing a continuing battle between antagonistic parts of personality, Freud was able to develop three systems that make up the total personality. The three systems of personality are the id, ego, and the superego. If the three systems work together in harmony and unite together to form one complete organization, it enables one to create a positive transaction with the environment. If the systems are fighting with each other, one is said to be dissatisfied with himself or the world. By examining the ego, the id, and the superego, one should see how these three systems of personality play an important role in the development of one's personality. In doing so one should understand what conscious and unconscious, and the functions of the id, ego, and superego.
The psychodynamic approach lends itself to being a controversial yet highly influential theory in the history of psychology. The theory has become one of the most significant psychological approaches and its originator, Sigmund Freud, has become a major influence in modern psychology. The psychodynamic approach largely focuses on motivation and past experiences which develop and individual’s personality. Freud used the iceberg metaphor to outline the three states of consciousness and argued that only twenty percent of the mind represents the conscious. In addition he theorised that there was a pre-conscious mind which represents general memory. Finally, the unconscious mind which is essentially the reservoir of repressed or hidden experiences and desire.
The basis of this approach is that psychological factors play a major role in determining behaviour and shaping personality. Freud argued that personality is composed of three major systems the id, the ego, and the superego. The id (biological part of personality) is present at birth and consists of inherited instincts and all psychological energies. The id operates according to the pleasure principle, seeking to reduce tension, avoid pain and obtain pleasure. The ego (executive part of personality) is conscious part of the mind, the “real” us.
The psychodynamic theory focuses on the unconscious mind. Freud’s credence is that different mental forces operate in the mind. The unconscious mind can be described as being like an iceberg. The tip of the iceberg represents the part of the mind that is conscious, everyday thoughts. The iceberg just below the water’s surface represents the pre conscious, thoughts and information that can be retrieved easily. And finally the base of the iceberg is the unconscious part of the mind where fears, traumas and bad experiences are contained, almost impossible to retrieve.
“Psychological - or more strictly speaking, psychoanalytic -investigation shows that the deepest essence of human nature, which are similar in all men and which aim at the satisfaction of certain needs... [are] self-preservation, aggression, need for love, and the impulse to attain pleasure and avoid pain...” At its simplest form, this quote perfectly explains Sigmund Freud’s theory on human nature. Human beings, according to Freud, are in a constant state of conflict within themselves; trying to satisfy their animalistic instincts, while also maintaining a socially appropriate life. Freud termed these animalistic tendencies that we have, the Id. The Id is essentially our unconscious mind, it is the part of us that has been there since the day we were born and is what drives our life’s needs and desires. The Id simply aims to satisfy our sexual or aggressive urges immediately, without taking into account any further implications. On the other hand, Freud used the term, the Superego, to describe man’s conscience and sense of morality. It is the Superego’s job to keep the Id in check by combatting the desire to satisfy urges with the feeling of guilt or anxiety. Finally, the Ego, is the conscious representation of the constant battle between the Superego and the Id. It must work to satisfy human’s instinctual tendencies while taking into account their conscience and doing what is rational and acceptable. Freud argues that these internal process that are constantly at work in our mind are what shape humans to do the things that they do. Thus, he believes, the goal of human nature is to satisfy our basic aggressive and sexual desires while adhering to cultural and social standards.
Present at birth and located in the unconscious, the id operates on the pleasure principle and seeks instant gratification without considering the consequences of actions in satisfying these instincts (Plotnik and Kouyoumdjian, 2007). The id contains two biological drives that are the base of all mental energy: eros powered by psychic energy known as libido, and thanators which harbours aggression which is directed at anything that prevents gratification of the eros, according to Freud (Leeming Madden and Marlan, 2009).
Sigmund Freud is best known for his development and use of psychoanalysis. The theory of psychoanalysis focuses on the concept of how our unconscious thoughts, feelings, and emotions play an active role in our daily lives. The id, ego, and superego are the three mental zones that encompass our psyche. Each zone has a specific function: The id functions on the pleasure principle; the ego on the protection of the individual; and the superego on protection of society. The degree of which each zone has been developed can be broken down and then analyzed. These three zones can be visualized by imagining a pie cut into three slices.