It’s the first
comprehensive theory of personality.
The structure
of personality:
Id-
·
the
original system of personality
·
the
matrix within which the ego and the superego become differentiated
·
consists
of everything psychological that is inherited and present at birth
·
reservoir
of psychic energy
·
it
is in the close touch from bodily processes
·
Freud
called the id the “true psychic reality” because it represents the inner world
of subjective experience and has no knowledge of objective reality
·
It
cannot tolerate increases of energy that are experienced as uncomfortable states
of tension
·
Consequently,
when tension increases through external or internal stimulation, the id
functions to discharge the tension immediately- THIS IS CALLED PLEASURE
PRINCIPLE
·
To
accomplish its aim, id uses 2 processes:
1. Reflex actions: It is inborn
They are automatic
reactions
They reduce tension
immediately
2. Primary processes:It forms an image of the object
that will remove the tension
e.g.- nocturnal dream
note- the hallucinatory experience in
which the desired object is present in the form of a memory image is called
wish-fulfillment.
Ego-
·
Comes
into existence because the needs of the organism require appropriate transactions
within the objective world of reality
·
The
basic distinction between the id and the ego is that the id knows only the
subjective reality of the mind whereas the ego distinguishes between things in
the mind and things in the external world.
·
Obeys
the reality principle, the aim of reality principle is to prevent the discharge
of tension until an object that is appropriate for the satisfaction of the need
has been discovered.
·
Operates
by the means of secondary process, the ego formulates a plan for the
satisfaction of the need and then tests the plan, usually by some kind of
action, to see whether or not it will work.
Superego-
·
It
is the internal representative of the traditional values and ideals of society
as interpreted to the child by its parents and enforced by means of a system of
rewards and punishments imposed upon the child.
·
The
moral arm of personality
·
Represents
the ideal rather than the real or the desire
·
There
are 2 subsystems of superego:
1. Conscience- whatever parents say is improper
and punish the child for doing tends to become incorporated into conscience. It
punishes the person by making him feel guilty.
2. Ego-ideal- whatever parents approve of and
reward the child for doing tends to become incorporated into its ego-ideal. It reward
the person by making him or her feel proud.
This
incorporation happens through introjection.
On
the development of superego the self-control
is substituted for parental-control.
