The id, ego and superego are ‘the Freudian tripartite structure of the personality’ (Feltham and Dryden, 1993: 87). Feltham and Dryden describe the three parts as follows: Origins of the TermThis theory of personality was developed by Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), who founded psychoanalytic (also known as ‘psychodynamic’) therapy. Freud believed that mental activity took place at three levels of consciousness (Sanders, 2002: 20):
Sanders et al. (2009: 271–272) note:
IdThe id is the only component of personality that is present from birth. It is completely unconscious, comprising instinctive and primitive behaviours. Freud believed that the id was the main component of personality. Driven by the pleasure principle, the id – if we gave it free rein – could lead to behaviour that would be seen as socially unacceptable and disruptive. The id is important in young children because it allows them to make sure their needs (e.g. to eat/drink) are met. EgoFreud asserted that the ego mediates the demands of the id and the superego, finding a middle road that is realistic within society. The ego operates at all three levels of consciousness. It develops during the first three years of life. SuperegoThis aspect of the personality is the last to develop, emerging when the child is around five years of age; it holds the standards and ideals that we take on from our caregivers. It tries to suppress the id’s urges and to make the ego act in an idealistic – as opposed to realistic – way. The superego also operates at all three levels of consciousness. Free Handout DownloadPsychoanalytical Theory - Essential Assignment Quotes for Students Bringing the Three Parts TogetherFreud believed that the healthy personality was balanced between its three component parts, with no one element overpowering the others. Seligman (2006: 50) notes:
She goes on to comment that ‘in reality, they operate together as the internal forces that form our personalities’. The id, ego and superego: the ‘Freudian tripartite structure of the personality’ How Therapy Can Help
Various techniques in psychoanalysis support the exploration of these parts of the personality and the relationships between them. Examples are free association (‘asking the client to express, uncensored, all thoughts, feelings and images which enter his stream of consciousness’ – Feltham and Dryden, 1993: 70) and dream analysis. Arlow (2005: 21) writes:
Psychoanalysis aims to increase the client’s self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behaviour. Transactional analysis (TA) has been developed from this approach, and there are parallels between the id/ego/superego of psychoanalysis and the parent/adult/child ego states of TA. ReferencesArlow J (2005) in Corsini R and Wedding D (Eds) Current Psychotherapies, Thomson Learning Feltham C and Dryden W (1993) Dictionary of Counselling, Whurr Publishers Sanders P (2002) First Steps in Counselling: A students’ companion for basic introductory courses, PCCS Books Sanders P (2009) Next Steps in Counselling Practice: A students’ companion for degrees, HE diplomas and vocational courses, PCCS Books Seligman L (2006) Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: Systems, Strategies, and Skills, Pearson Prentice Hall Free Handout DownloadPsychoanalytical Theory - Essential Assignment Quotes for Students Who composed id, ego, and superego?Freud's personality theory (1923) saw the psyche structured into three parts (i.e., tripartite), the id, ego and superego, all developing at different stages in our lives.
Who developed the psychoanalytic theory of personality?Freud. Perhaps the most influential integrative theory of personality is that of psychoanalysis, which was largely promulgated during the first four decades of the 20th century by the Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud.
Who discovered id and ego?Sigmund Freud died 80 years ago this week, and his 1923 study, The Ego and the Id, which introduced many of the foundational concepts of psychoanalysis, entered the public domain earlier this year.
What is id by Sigmund Freud?According to Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality, the id is the personality component made up of unconscious psychic energy that works to satisfy basic urges, needs, and desires.
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