Question

Give a brief explanation of Freud's model of personality, including the id, ego, and superego, as well as the relationship among these components.

Answer 1

The id: The id (from the German das es, meaning “the it”) is the generative force of the personality. It contains all the instincts (although better translations of the word Freud used might be “drives” or “forces”) such as hunger, thirst, and sex. The id is entirely unconscious and is governed by the pleasure principle. When a need arises, the id wants immediate gratification of that need. The collective energy associated with the instincts is called libido (the Latin word for “lust”), and libidinal energy accounts for most human behavior. The id has only two means of satisfying a need. One is reflex action, which is automatically triggered when certain discomforts arise: Sneezing and recoiling from a painful stimulus are examples of reflex actions. The second means of satisfaction is wish fulfillment, in which the id conjures up a representation of an object that will satisfy the existing need. Because the activities in the id occur independently of personal experience and because they provide the foundation of the entire personality, Freud referred to them as primary processes. The primary processes are irrational because they are directly determined by a person’s need state, they tolerate no time lapse between the onset of a need and its satisfaction, and they exist entirely on the unconscious level. Furthermore, the primary processes can, at best, furnish only temporary satisfaction of a need; therefore, another aspect of the personality is necessary if the person is to survive.

The superego: Though the newborn child is completely dominated by the id, the child must soon learn that need gratification usually cannot be immediate. More important, he or she must learn that some things are “right” and some things are “wrong.” For example, the male child must inhibit his sexual desires. Teaching these do’s and don’ts is usually what is meant by socializing the child. As the child internalizes these do’s and don’ts, he or she develops a superego (from the German das überich, meaning “the over I”), which is the moral arm of the personality. The fully developed superego has two divisions: The conscience and also the ego-ideal, that is, the internalized experiences for which the child has been rewarded. Once the superego develops, internalized values govern the child’s behavior and thoughts, usually those of the parents; and the child is then said to be socialized.

The ego: The ego (meaning “I” in Latin, and from the German das ich, meaning “the I”) is aware of the needs of both the id and the physical world, and its major job is to coordinate the two. In other words, the ego’s job is to match the wishes ofthe id with their counterparts in the physical environment. For this reason, the ego is said to operate in service of the id. The ego is also said to be governed by the reality principle, because the objects it provides must result in real rather than imaginary satisfaction of a need. It strives to strike a balance between the needs of the id and the moral standards of the superego by restricting their irrationality.