Ego, Id and Superego in Freud's psychoanalytic theory

George Alvarez 31-05-2023
George Alvarez

O Id, Ego and Superego in Personality refers to the set of psychophysical systems that determine the adjustment between the individual and the environment in which he/she lives. Although it presents common characteristics, personality is unique to each individual. Besides, it presents the characteristic of being temporal, as it refers to an individual who interacts historically.

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At first, the personality of the individual revealed itself to Freud as a space of conflicts and psychic agreements, in which instincts were opposed, in which biological impulses were blocked by social prohibitions. To order this apparent chaos, Sigmund Freud undertook a classification, organizing the system into three basic components: The Id, the Ego and the Superego .

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Id and the Personality

The present content to understand what is the Id in psychoanalysis It also contains, mainly, the instincts and impulses, present in our constitution and which find psychic expression in forms that are unknown to the human being. In the Id, impulses coexist that can be contrary, without canceling each other out.

The Id is not subject to the rational laws of thought; all the individual's energy is found there. It also includes mental contents that never became conscious, as well as instincts considered unacceptable by consciousness. Although blocked by consciousness, the instincts contained in the Id are capable of influencing the entire behavior of individuals.

Ego and the Personality

O Ego (according to psychoanalysis) The function of the Ego is to placate the demands of the Id, as the individual structures his own identity. While protecting the Id, the Ego obtains from it the energy it needs for its own realizations.

The Ego is responsible for the connection between the sensorial impulses and the muscular system, that is, it is responsible for voluntary movements, in addition to self-preservation. The Ego also has the function of exercising control over the demands of the instincts, deciding which ones must be satisfied and when, and repressing those that are unacceptable.

In this way, it coordinates the tensions produced by instincts, conducting them in an appropriate way, stimulating the person to find the most adequate solutions, even if less immediate and in consonance with reality.

Superego and Personality

O Superego It plays the role of censor in relation to the ego's activities. It acts as the holder of moral and ethical codes, regulating the form of conduct. Sigmund Freud lists three attributions of the Superego: conscience, self-observation, and the formation of ideals.

Although it can also act unconsciously, the Superego performs the function of judging conscious activity. Superego has its development related to the formation of ideals. Its content becomes the vehicle of the values established in a given society, transmitted from generation to generation.

The objective of the psychic system is to maintain an acceptable level of balance between pleasure and displeasure. The energy needed to activate the system comes from the Id. The Ego, emerging from the Id, elaborates the impulses coming from the Id, conforming them to the principle of reality.

In this sense, it acts as a mediator between the Id and the Superego with respect to the demands of the reality of the environment in which one lives. The Superego acts as a brake, acting predominantly against the interests of the Ego.

Conscious, Preconscious and Unconscious

For Freud, "there is no discontinuity in mental life". For Sigmund Freud, the father and creator of Psychoanalysis, mental processes occur for a specific motivation. Every event, feeling, forgetfulness has a motivation or cause. For Freud, there are links that identify one psychic event to another.

Constituting only part of the mind, the Conscious refers to everything that we are aware of at the moment. In the Unconscious are located those elements that, at first, are not accessible to consciousness, as well as content excluded from consciousness or repressed. The Preconscious is a part of the psychic system that can easily become conscious.

Conclusion

In this sense, it can be seen that Psychoanalysis is not only related to medical interest, but is of interest to the whole of science.

These parts of the human mind are important ideas in Freud's theory. See also a more complete article on id, ego and superego.

In summary, we can say that:

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  • O id is a more primitive and unconscious part of the mind; in it are the drives for survival and pleasure.
  • O ego is the part that manages between the impulses of the id and the demands of the external world, that is, it seeks a balance between reality, id, and ego.
  • O superego is the part of our mental life that internalizes social and moral norms.
Read Also: ID for Freud: concepts and meanings

For Freud, the conflict between these three psychic instances gives rise to the psychological problems that people face. The intention of psychoanalysis is to help the individual understand these conflicts and find a healthy balance between the different parts of his personality.

George Alvarez

George Alvarez is a renowned psychoanalyst who has been practicing for over 20 years and is highly regarded in the field. He is a sought-after speaker and has conducted numerous workshops and training programs on psychoanalysis for professionals in the mental health industry. George is also an accomplished writer and has authored several books on psychoanalysis that have received critical acclaim. George Alvarez is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others and has created a popular blog on Online Training Course in Psychoanalysis that is widely followed by mental health professionals and students around the world. His blog provides a comprehensive training course that covers all aspects of psychoanalysis, from theory to practical applications. George is passionate about helping others and is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of his clients and students.