Theories in Psychoanalysis
Sigmund Freud viewed the human personality as tripartite, consisting of distinctively definable elements of the id, ego, and superego. Each aspect of nature has a distinct role and develops at different times to define an individual’s behavioural character (Hattangadi, 2021).
According to Freud, the id aspect is the aspect of an individual that pushes them to satisfy their desires and needs (Henley, 2019). The id aspect of personality exists from birth and controls an individual’s instinctive behaviours. According to Freud, the id is the most basic and primitive component of nature. This means that the id is the instinctual and primal component of human characters; it operates at an individual’s unconscious level. As the part that controls desires and pleasures, it continuously pushes the individual towards immediate gratification of their wants and needs (Henley, 2019). However, the satisfaction of human needs is hierarchical, and the push to satisfy specific desires at the wrong time results in adopting destructive behaviours. For example, I have seen a couple of times in the news the desire to have a higher social status and recognition at a young age pushes young individuals into crime, and they end up in jail.
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The ego aspect of personality manages the gratification of the id’s desires and needs in a socially acceptable and realistic way. The ego grows from an individual’s id. However, it is much influenced and modified by experiences within the real world. According to Freud, the ego part of personality is the aspect that defines an individual’s reality (Henley, 2019). The ego part counters the unconscious and unacceptable desires and their push for instant gratification by exposing the id to the realities of such urges and their immediate gratification. Through the ego aspect, individuals understand the natural world and push the id to choose available options for the gratification of desires rationally.
The third aspect of personality, the superego, as presented by Sigmund Freud, is related to the moderation of morality. The superego is the last aspect of human nature to develop. The superego is influenced by internalized beliefs, experiences, values, values and morals based on experiential learning from the immediate and broad social environment (Hattangadi, 2021). The superego comprises conscience and the idealization of self in a way that the individual aspires to. Therefore, the superego defines the moral standards the individual lives by. It complements the role of the ego by suppressing the instinctual and primitive urges of the id to meet its desires even in the wrong settings. Therefore, the superego is primarily involved in making decisions that define how the world perceives the individual. About the role of the superego in making decisions and judgments, I once saw a former friend working a low-paying job as a coffee outlet cashier wanting to take some cash from the cash box. However, he never did it, as he talked of having to think of his job for the next day.
In summary, the id defines an individual’s instincts, the ego defines reality, and the superego defines morality. Therefore, the interaction between these three elements influences individual behaviours. The ego creates a balance between the id and the superego. Sometimes, repressed desires, emotions, or experiences may corrupt the ego and superego, giving precedence to the id’s primitive demands for desired gratification. Such incidents may result in regrets.
References
Hattangadi, V. (2021). Freud defines the id, Ego and Superego of Human Behaviour. Journal of Commerce and Management Thought, 12(2and3), 105-108.
Henley, T. (2019). Hergenhahn’s An Introduction to the History of Psychology (8th ed.). Cengage Learning, Inc.
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Question
Think about one of the significant theories in psychoanalysis: the id, ego, and superego; dream analysis; defence mechanisms; archetypes; inferiority and compensation; adjustment patterns; or any other central theory of psychoanalysis. Explain your chosen idea. How do you encounter this in your life — either personally, in someone you know, or in your work? How will the ideas proposed in the psychoanalytic school of thought impact your chosen profession? Use at least two key concepts as you discuss your answer.
TEXTBOOK: Henley, Tracy. Hergenhahn’s An Introduction to the History of Psychology. Available from: Purdue University Global Bookshelf, (8th Edition). Cengage Learning US, 2018.