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Freud’s Iceberg Model of the Mind: The conscious mind with the ego at its helm is the visible tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface, the larger unconscious realm houses the primal instincts of the id and the moral compass of the superego, steering our actions and reactions in subtle and complex ways.
Perhaps Freud’s single most enduring and important idea was the human psyche (personality).
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.
These are systems, not parts of the brain, or in any way physical, but rather hypothetical conceptualizations of important mental functions.
According toFreud’s psychoanalytic theory, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego.
Although each part of the personality comprises unique features, they interact to form a whole, and each part makes a relative contribution to an individual’s behavior.
What is the Id?
Theidis the primitive and instinctive component of personality.
The id is a part of the unconscious that contains all the urges and impulses, including what is called the libido, a kind of generalized sexual energy that is used for everything from survival instincts to appreciation of art.
The id is the impulsive (andunconscious) part of our psyche that responds directly and immediately to basic urges, needs, and desires. The personality of the newborn child is all id, and only later does it develop an ego and super-ego.
The id engages in primary process thinking, which is primitive, illogical, irrational, and fantasy-oriented. This form of process thinking has no comprehension of objective reality, and is selfish and wishful in nature.
The id operates on thepleasure principle(Freud, 1920), that every unconscious wishful impulse should be satisfied immediately, regardless of the consequences.
When the id achieves its demands, we experience pleasure, and when it is denied, we experience ‘unpleasure’ or tension.
The id comprises two kinds of biological instincts (or drives), including the sex (life) instinct called Eros (which contains the libido) and the aggressive (death) instinct called Thanatos.
In contrast, Thanatos, or death instinct, is viewed as a set of destructive forces in all human beings (Freud, 1920).
When this energy is directed outward onto others, it is expressed as aggression and violence. Freud believed that Eros was stronger than Thanatos, thus enabling people to survive rather than self-destruct.
The id remains infantile in its function throughout a person’s life and does not change with time or experience, as it is not in touch with the external world.
An overdominant id causes psychoses.
What is the Ego?
Freud’s ego is the rational part of the psyche that mediates between the instinctual desires of the id and the moral constraints of the superego, operating primarily at the conscious level.
(Freud, 1923, p. 25)
The ego is the only part of the conscious personality. It’s what the person is aware of when they think about themselves and what they usually try to project toward others.
The ego develops from the id during infancy. The ego’s goal is to satisfy the id’s demands in a safe and socially acceptable way. In contrast to the id, the ego follows thereality principleas it operates in both the conscious and unconscious mind.
The ego operates according to the reality principle, working out realistic ways of satisfying the id’s demands, often compromising or postponing satisfaction to avoid negative consequences of society.
The ego considers social realities and norms, etiquette, and rules in deciding how to behave.
Like the id, the ego seeks pleasure (i.e., tension reduction) and avoids pain, but unlike the id, the ego is concerned with devising a realistic strategy to obtain pleasure.
The ego has no concept of right or wrong; something is good simply if it achieves its end of satisfying without causing harm to itself or the id.
Often the ego is weak relative to the headstrong id, and the best the ego can do is stay on, pointing the id in the right direction and claiming some credit at the end as if the action were its own.
Freud made the analogy of the id being a horse while the ego is the rider. The ego is “like a man on horseback, who has to hold in check the superiour strength of the horse.”
(Freud, 1923, p. 15)
If the ego fails to use the reality principle and anxiety is experienced,unconscious defense mechanismsare employed to help ward off unpleasant feelings (i.e., anxiety) or make good things feel better for the individual.
The ego engages in secondary process thinking, which is rational, realistic, and orientated toward problem-solving. If a plan of action does not work, then it is thought through again until a solution is found.
This is known as reality testing and enables the person to control their impulses and demonstrate self-control, via mastery of the ego.
An important feature of clinical and social work is to enhance ego functioning and help the client test reality through assisting the client to think through their options.
According to Freudians, some abnormal upbringing (particularly if there is a cold, rejecting ‘schizogenic’ mother) can result in a weak and fragile ego, whose ability to contain the id’s desires is limited.
What is the Superego?
Freud’s superego is the moral component of the psyche, representing internalized societal values and standards. It contrasts with the id’s desires, guiding behavior towards moral righteousness and inducing guilt when standards aren’t met.
The superego incorporates the values and morals of society, which are learned from one’s parents and others. It develops around 3 – 5 years during the phallic stage ofpsychosexual development.
The superego develops during early childhood (when thechild identifies with the same-sex parent)and is responsible for ensuring moral standards are followed.
The superego operates on the morality principle and motivates us to behave in a socially responsible and acceptable manner.
The superego is seen as the purveyor of rewards (feelings of pride and satisfaction) and punishments (feelings of shame and guilt), depending on which part (the ego-deal or conscious) is activated.
The superego is a part of the unconscious that is the voice of conscience (doing what is right) and the source of self-criticism.
It reflects society’s moral values to some degree, and a person is sometimes aware of their own morality and ethics, but the superego contains many codes, or prohibitions, that are issued mostly unconsciously in the form of commands or “don’t” statements.
The superego’s function is to control the id’s impulses, especially those which society forbids, such as sex and aggression.
It also persuades the ego to turn to moralistic goals rather than simply realistic ones and strive for perfection.
The superego consists of two systems: The conscience and the ideal self.
The superego is also somewhat tricky, in that it will try to portray what it wants the person to do in grandiose, glowing terms, what Freud called the ego-ideal, which arises out of the person’s first great love attachment (usually a parent).
Guilt is a common problem because of all the urges and drives from the id and all the prohibitions and codes in the superego. There are various ways an individual handles guilt, which are calleddefense mechanisms.
Examples of the Id, Ego, and Superego
Therapeutic Implications
Identifying the problem can bring this into the conscious, where the imbalance can be resolved, returning equanimity between the id, ego, and superego.
Consequently, the defense mechanisms will only operate at the maintenance level, and the mental illness will be cured.
However,psychoanalysis, the method used to produce this new balance, is time-consuming and costly. Furthermore, no objective measurement can be taken to demonstrate that a cure has been effected; it is reliant on the client’s subjective report of their improvement.
There is concern that clients may claim they are better, not because they are, but because of the time and expense involved.
References
Freud, S. (1920).Beyond the pleasure principle. SE, 18: 1-64.
Freud, S. (1923).The ego and the id. SE, 19: 1-66.
FAQs
What is the difference between the ego and the id?
The ego balances the id’s desires with the superego’s moral guidance, striving to maintain harmony within the human psyche.
What is an example of the id ego superego?
At the same time, the superego reminds the person of their commitment to a healthy lifestyle and instills feelings of guilt for considering breaking the diet.
The ego mediates between the id’s cravings and the superego’s moral standards, potentially allowing the person to eat just one donut as a compromise, demonstrating its role in maintaining psychological balance amidst conflicting desires.
freud id ego superego
id ego superego
illustration of three people represented as the id, ego, and superego
Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education
Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.
Saul McLeod, PhD
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester
Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
