Understanding Freud's Theory Of Personality: Id, Ego, Superego

  • Reihaneh RaissniaDoctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
  • Duyen NguyenMaster in Science - MSci Human Biology, University of Birmingham

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Overview

In his renowned psychoanalytic theory, Sigmund Freud asserts that human personality is intricate, comprising not a single but multiple components. According to Freud, personality is constructed from three distinct elements: the id, the ego, and the superego.

These components collaborate to shape the complexity of human behaviours. Each element makes a distinctive contribution to an individual's personality, and their interactions wield a profound influence. This article aims to delve deeper into each of these fundamental aspects of personality, examining their functions and exploring the dynamics of their interactions.

The Id

According to Freud, the Id is the primary source of all psychic energy, making it a foundational element of one's personality. It is the only component present from birth and operates entirely at an unconscious level, manifesting in instinctive and primitive behaviours.

Driven by the pleasure principle (the notion that our impulses require immediate satisfaction), the id seeks immediate gratification for all desires, wants, and needs.1 Failure to promptly satisfy these needs results in a state of anxiety or tension. For instance, an increase in hunger or thirst prompts an immediate urge to eat or drink.

While individuals eventually acquire the ability to regulate the id, this facet of personality retains its infantile and primal essence throughout one's life. The maturation of the ego and superego enables individuals to manage the id’s fundamental instincts and engage in both pragmatic and socially sanctioned behaviours.

The Ego

Freud hypothesises that the ego emerges from the id, serving as a mechanism to ensure that the id's impulses can find expression in ways deemed acceptable in the real world.2

Operating within the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious mind, the ego is the personality component responsible for navigating reality. Guided by the reality principle, the ego seeks to fulfil the id's desires in ways that are both realistic and socially acceptable. This principle involves careful assessment of the costs and benefits associated with an action before determining whether to act on or restrain impulses.3

It's important to note that while the term 'ego' is sometimes used interchangeably with one's cohesive awareness of personality, personality and ego are distinct concepts. The ego constitutes just one facet of an individual's complete personality.

The Superego

The Superego is the final element in the development of personality. According to Freud, it begins to take shape around the age of five. It encompasses internalised moral standards and ideals acquired from parents and society, which shape our sense of right and wrong.

The superego consists of two parts:4

  1. The conscience holds information about behaviours deemed as bad by parents and society. These actions are often forbidden and may result in negative consequences, punishments, or feelings of guilt and remorse
  2. The ego ideal encompasses rules and standards for behaviours that the ego aspires to achieve

The superego endeavours to refine and civilise our conduct, suppressing any unacceptable urges from the id. It strives to compel the ego to act in accordance with idealistic standards rather than purely realistic principles. Operating in the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious, the superego plays a pivotal role in shaping our moral compass and behavioural expectations.

Dynamic interplay of id, ego, and superego

When discussing the id, the ego, and the superego, it's crucial to recognise that these components aren't distinct entities with clearly defined boundaries. Instead, they are dynamic elements in constant interaction, collectively shaping an individual's overall personality and behaviour.

Given the multitude of conflicting forces at play, it becomes apparent how conflicts may arise among the id, ego, and superego. Freud introduced the term 'ego strength' to describe the ego's capacity to navigate and function amid these conflicting pressures. A person with strong ego strength can adeptly manage these internal conflicts, whereas individuals with excessive or insufficient ego strength may exhibit rigidity or disruptiveness.5

Defence mechanisms

In Sigmund Freud's personality model, the ego serves as the component that grapples with the demands of reality. The ego also faces the challenge of reconciling conflicting requests from the id and the superego. To manage anxiety arising from these conflicts, Freud proposed that defence mechanisms play a crucial role in shielding the ego.

Freud regarded anxiety as an undesirable internal state that individuals strive to evade. It functions as a signal to the ego that circumstances are not aligning with expectations. Consequently, the ego employs various defence mechanisms to alleviate these feelings of anxiety.6

Examples of common defence mechanisms include:

Repression

Repression functions to exclude information from conscious awareness, but these memories don't vanish entirely, they persist and exert an ongoing influence on our behaviour.7 For example, an individual who has repressed memories of childhood abuse may encounter challenges in establishing relationships later in life.

Denial

Denial serves as a defence mechanism to shield the ego from situations that an individual finds difficult to confront. It is frequently used to describe instances where people seem unwilling to acknowledge reality or accept an evident truth. For example, individuals grappling with substance addiction may often deny having a problem, while those who have experienced traumatic events might deny the occurrence of such events.8

Although denial may provide temporary relief from anxiety or distress, it demands a considerable expenditure of energy. As a result, other defence mechanisms are often employed to prevent these uncomfortable emotions from entering conscious awareness.

Projection

Projection involves attributing your undesirable qualities or emotions to other individuals.7 For instance, if you harbour a significant aversion to someone, you might convince yourself that they hold negative feelings towards you.

The mechanism of projection operates by providing an outlet for the expression of desires or impulses, but in a manner that eludes the recognition of the ego. This serves to diminish anxiety associated with acknowledging these feelings.

Sublimation

Sublimation enables us to express unacceptable impulses by transforming them into a more socially acceptable form. For instance, an individual dealing with intense anger might channel that emotion by taking up kickboxing as a constructive outlet for venting frustration.9 It is considered a manifestation of maturity, allowing individuals to operate within socially acceptable norms while addressing and redirecting their inner impulses.

What occurs in the case of an imbalance?

According to Freud, a healthy personality is contingent upon maintaining equilibrium among the id, the ego, and the superego. When the ego effectively moderates between the demands of reality, the id, and the superego, a well-adjusted and healthy personality emerges. Freud asserted that an imbalance among these elements could result in a maladaptive personality.

For example, an overly dominant superego could lead to a personality characterised by excessive moralism and judgmental attitudes. Someone governed by the superego might struggle to accept anything or anyone they perceive as "bad" or "immoral.

Summary

Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory presents a comprehensive framework for understanding the intricacies of human personality. The id, ego, and superego serve distinct functions that contribute to the dynamic and multifaceted nature of human behaviour. The id, driven by the pleasure principle, represents the primal and instinctive aspects of personality, seeking immediate gratification.

The ego operates within the conscious and unconscious mind, navigating reality by balancing the id's impulses with the demands of the external world through the reality principle. The superego, formed by internalised moral standards, strives to refine behaviour by setting ideals and moral guidelines.

The interplay among the id, ego, and superego is essential to understanding personality development. Conflicts between these components may arise, and the concept of ego strength becomes crucial in describing an individual's capacity to manage internal conflicts effectively.

Freud's inclusion of defence mechanisms highlights the ego's role in managing anxiety resulting from conflicts between the id and superego. Defence mechanisms such as repression, denial, projection, and sublimation serve as adaptive strategies to cope with uncomfortable emotions and maintain psychological equilibrium.

However, an imbalance among the id, ego, and superego can lead to maladaptive personalities. While Freud's psychoanalytic theory has faced criticisms and evolved over time, it remains influential in the field of psychology. Contemporary psychologists often integrate aspects of Freud's ideas into broader theories of personality, recognising the enduring impact of his work on our understanding of human behaviour and development.

References

  1. Boag S. Ego, drives, and the dynamics of internal objects. Frontiers in Psychology [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2024 Jan 11];5. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00666 
  2. Pulcu E. An evolutionary perspective on gradual formation of superego in the primal horde. Frontiers in Psychology [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2024 Jan 11];5. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00008 
  3. Bargh JA, Morsella E. The unconscious mind. Perspect Psychol Sci [Internet]. 2008 Jan [cited 2024 Jan 11];3(1):73–9. Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-6916.2008.00064.x 
  4. Schalkwijk F. A new conceptualization of the conscience. Frontiers in Psychology [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2024 Jan 11];9. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01863 
  5. Kovačić Petrović Z, Peraica T, Kozarić-Kovačić D. Comparison of ego strength between aggressive and non-aggressive alcoholics: a cross-sectional study. Croat Med J [Internet]. 2018 Aug [cited 2024 Jan 11];59(4):156–64. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6139425/ 
  6. Waqas A, Rehman A, Malik A, Muhammad U, Khan S, Mahmood N, et al. Association of ego defense mechanisms with academic performance, anxiety and depression in medical students: a mixed methods study. Cureus [Internet]. 2015 Sep 30 [cited 2024 Jan 11];7(9). Available from:https://www.cureus.com/articles/3241-association-of-ego-defense-mechanisms-with-academic-performance-anxiety-and-depression-in-medical-students-a-mixed-methods-study 
  7. Corey G. Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy. Cengage Learning; 2008. 545 p.
  8. MacDonald K, Thomas ML, Sciolla AF, Schneider B, Pappas K, Bleijenberg G, et al. Minimization of childhood maltreatment is common and consequential: results from a large, multinational sample using the childhood trauma questionnaire. PLOS ONE [Internet]. 2016 Jan 27 [cited 2024 Jan 11];11(1):e0146058. Available from: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0146058 
  9. Kim E, Zeppenfeld V, Cohen D. Sublimation, culture, and creativity. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2013 Oct;105(4):639–66.

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Styliani Tsolka

MSc, Health Psychology, University of Surrey, UK
BSc, Psychology, University of Surrey, UK

Stella is dedicated to promoting Mental Health Awareness, among people of all backgrounds and knowledgeable in applying theoretical concepts with real-life scenarios. In the future, Stella aspires to qualify as a Counselling Psychologist, focusing on individualized holistic care.

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