Ello, me and superego

Perhaps Freud’s most enduring and important idea was that the human psyche (personality) has more than one aspect. The personality theory of Freud (1923) saw the psyche structured in three parts (ie, tripartite), id, ego and super-ego, all developed in different stages of our lives. These are systems, not parts of the brain, not physical.

According to Freud’s model of the psyche, “it” is the primitive and instinctive part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive impulses and hidden memories, the “superego” operates as a moral conscience , and the “I” is the realistic part. that mediates between desires of the id and the superego . Although each part of the personality comprises unique characteristics, they interact to form a whole, and each part makes a relative contribution to an individual’s behavior.

Differences between it, me and superego

What is “it”

It is the primitive and instinctive component of the personality. It consists of all the inherited (i.e. biological) components of the personality present at birth, including the sexual (life) instinct , Eros (which contains the libido), and the aggressive (death) instinct , Thanatos.

It is the impulsive (and unconscious) part of our psyche that responds directly and immediately to basic urges, needs, and desires . The newborn’s personality is completely “it” and only later does it develop a self and a superego. It remains childish in function throughout a person’s life and does not change with time or experience, since it is not in contact with the external world. This is not affected by reality, logic or the everyday world, since it operates within the unconscious part of the mind.

This operates according to the pleasure principle (Freud, 1920), which is the idea that every desired impulse must be satisfied immediately, regardless of the consequences. When it meets its demands, we experience pleasure, but when it is denied we feel “displeasure” or tension. In turn, it engages in the primary thought process , which is primitive, illogical, irrational, and fantasy-oriented. This process thinking form does not understand objective reality and is selfish and wishful in nature.

What is “I”

The self is “that part of the identification which has been modified by the direct influence of the external world . ” It develops to mediate between the unrealistic “it” and the external real world. It is the decision-making component of the personality. Ideally, the self functions by reason , while the id is chaotic and unreasonable.

The self operates according to the reality principle , working out realistic ways to satisfy the demands of the id, often compromising or postponing satisfaction to avoid negative consequences for society. The self considers social realities and norms, etiquette and rules when deciding how to behave.

Like the id, the ego seeks pleasure (that is, the reduction of tension) and avoids pain , but unlike the id, the ego is concerned with devising a realistic strategy for obtaining pleasure. He has no concept of right or wrong; something is good simply if it achieves its end of satisfaction without causing harm to itself or the id.

Often the self is weak relative to the stubborn it, and the best the self can do is stay on, point the id in the right direction, and claim some credit in the end as if the action were its own. Freud made the analogy that the id is a horse, while the ego is the rider . The self is “like a man on horseback, who has to control his supreme force . “

If the ego fails in its attempt to use the reality principle, and anxiety is experienced, unconscious defense mechanisms are employed to help avoid unpleasant feelings (i.e., anxiety) or to make good things feel better for the individual. Engages in a secondary thought process , which is rational, realistic, and problem-solving oriented . If an action plan doesn’t work, you think again until you find a solution. This is known as a reality check and allows the person to control their impulses and demonstrate self-control through mastery of the self.

An important feature of clinical and social work is to improve ego functioning and help the client assess reality by helping them think through their options.

What is “superego”

The superego incorporates the values ​​and morals of society that are learned from parents and others. It develops around 3 to 5 years of age during the phallic stage of psychosexual development . The function of the superego is to control the impulses of identification , especially those that society prohibits, such as sex and aggression. It also has the function of persuading the self to turn to moralistic goals rather than just realistic goals and strive for perfection.

The superego consists of two systems: consciousness and the ideal self . The conscience can punish the self by causing feelings of guilt. For example, if you give in to the demands of identification, the superego can make the person feel bad through guilt. The ideal self is an image of how you should be, and represents career aspirations, how to treat other people, and how to behave as a member of society.

Behavior that falls short of the ideal self can be punished by the superego through guilt . The superego can also reward us through the ideal self when we behave “appropriately” by making us feel proud . If a person’s ideal self is too high a standard, whatever the person does will be a failure. The ideal self and consciousness are largely determined in childhood by your parents’ values ​​and how you were raised.

critics

Much criticism has been directed at Freud’s theory of personality . For example, the idea that the id is the dominant component of the personality is seen as problematic, especially Freud’s emphasis on unconscious drives and reflexes, such as the sexual drive. This perspective minimizes and oversimplifies the complexities of human nature.

Furthermore, Freud believed that the superego emerges in childhood because children fear harm and punishment. However, research has shown that children whose greatest fear is punishment only seem to develop morale – their true motivation is to avoid getting caught and to avoid harm. In reality, a sense of morality develops when a child experiences love and wants to keep it. To do so, they engage in behavior that exemplifies their parents’ morals, and therefore they will get their approval.

Despite these criticisms, Freud’s ideas about the id, the ego, and the superego have been and continue to be highly influential in the field of psychology.