What is Conscious in Psychoanalysis

George Alvarez 24-10-2023
George Alvarez

To find out what is conscious In addition, the conscious mind is one that acts according to the dictates of society, in its relationship with the external world .

What is conscious comes down to what we can perceive rationally and thus have control over our behaviors and feelings. In other words, imagine that your consciousness determines your actions that, according to your experiences, your brain feels most comfortable with.

What does conscious mean?

Conscious, in the dictionary meaning of the word, relates to one who is aware of his own existence, who knows what he does.

In other words, the conscious has to do with what is done according to the knowledge about something, proceeding rationally. In this sense, it is the state in which the person is able thinking, acting, and feeling.

How the meaning of conscious came about

The term conscious was coined by the so-called "father of psychoanalysis," Sigmund Freud, who, in his first description of the human mind, divided it into three levels:

  • unconscious;
  • subconscious;
  • aware.

In the meantime, the conscious is the part of the human psyche in which one has perception about the surrounding reality It is where you contact the outside world, in a rational way.

What is conscious mind?

Quite simply, you can define conscious mind as the part of your brain that thinks. It is nothing more than the recognition of one's own existence, that one has knowledge about things and people in one's environment. Above all, consciousness is the study of several areas of knowledge, such as philosophy, psychoanalysis, and psychology.

In short, the definition of what conscious mind is refers to the events that the individual goes through during his waking state, where he can observe and control his actions and reactions to everyday events.

The state of consciousness is when the individual contacts the external world by means of:

  • speaks;
  • images;
  • moves;
  • thoughts.

Where the person, by his external and internal stimuli, can perceive them, and be aware of the reality in which it finds itself.

Consciousness in Psychoanalysis

In Freudian theory, human behavior is dominated by activities of the conscious and unconscious mind. Freud explains that the conscious level relates to the person's perceived experiences of thoughts, lived experiences, and intentional and rationalized actions. In other words, the explanation for what conscious mind is when we are awake, awake to the external world.

In short, the conscious level relates to everything that, as the name implies, we are aware of the events experienced. In the conscious mind is located only what we understand and access in an intentional way. For Freud, it corresponds to the minority of our mind dominated by consciousness.

As the human psyche that refers us to the external world, where we can have choices about thoughts and behaviors, we believe that it overlaps with our unconscious. But it represents, as estimated by researchers, about 12% of our mind.

One of the important characteristics of the conscience is its ability to judge what it understands as right and wrong, deciding which information should or should not be registered in its brain at certain levels.

Consciousness in Psychology

For psychology, the meaning of conscious refers to a set of mental representations of psychic content. The explanation about what is conscious is in the field of reality and that, before the ego, can be used as a defense mechanism against unconsciousness.

To be aware means that you know or understand a certain situation, that is, you are aware of the events around you. retained by the conscious You have possibly heard something like "he has returned to consciousness".

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See_also: Dystopia: meaning in the dictionary, in philosophy and in psychology

Differences between the conscious mind and the unconscious mind

Ever since Sigmund Freud defined the concepts of conscious and unconscious in the 19th century, various specialists, such as psychoanalysts and neuroscientists, have tried to unravel the mysteries of the mind. Even though knowledge is advancing, there is still a lot to be unraveled.

Read Also: Discouragement: Causes, Symptoms, and How to Overcome It

You, like most people, may associate your conscience with who you are, with how you choose your actions and emotions. But that's not quite how it happens. Your conscience is like the captain of a ship, giving orders to the other machines that make the ship run, which represent your unconscious.

In other words, the captain gives the orders, but who really guides the ship is the crew, who work according to their lived experiences .

In this way, what is conscious is defined by what communicates with the outside world, it that appears, by means of writings, speech, movements and thoughts.

The unconscious mind, on the other hand, represents our memories, our recent and past experiences. Among these memories are those that have been repressed, due to traumas suffered, or even those that have only been forgotten, because they were not important at that particular moment.

Therefore, it is because of these memories that the unconscious communicates with the consciousness, being determinant for:

  • beliefs;
  • thoughts;
  • reactions;
  • habits;
  • behaviors;
  • emotions;
  • sensations;
  • dreams.

Functions of the Mind

The explanation for the consciousness lies in the capture of stimuli from your mind, as if it were a "moment recorder", which, like a "screen", are played back to you. In other words, the external stimuli are picked up and transmitted for your conscience.

Good or bad situations are recorded in your consciousness, even though you try to exclude them from your thoughts. We try to "not think about it" because our consciousness is trying to eliminate the pain and not relive the event. However, it can be brought into our consciousness in unusual ways.

For example, if you are severely attacked by a vicious dog, even if years pass, your consciousness will always be able to associate any dog with pain. This will serve as a stimulus that will directly affect your consciousness.

See_also: Wilhelm Wundt: life work and concepts

In short, to know what is conscious You just have to analyze under which stimuli your behaviors take place. For example, you have certain attitudes in your work because of experiences, which lead you to do what you think is right for the moment. In other words, you rationalize your behaviors and emotions.

However, if you are interested in learning more about the study of the mind, check out our Psychoanalysis training course 100% ODL. If you want to know more, read our frequently asked questions section, to find out how to study and graduate in the field of Psychoanalysis (www.psicanaliseclinica.com/faq)

I want information to enroll in the Psychoanalysis Course .

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.