Freud developed a structural model around the human psyche, this consisted of the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. The theory was first mentioned in an essay in 1920, named 'Beyond the Pleasure Principle'. Freud later delved into this thoey with greater detail in 1923 in 'The Ego and the Id'. The theory refers to the motivations behind peoples behaviour, thoughts, and actions, which can be allocated into one of the three; the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. It is seen that Freud developed this theory to further explain the concept that is the unconscious.
The Id
The Id, or Eros as Freud sometimes referred to it as, is the aspect of the psyche that focusses on desires and would be impulsive by nature. The Id is inseperable from the unconscious and does not take into account the consequences of actions, merely just doing what it wants, when it wants to. "When the child is first born it is a mass of Id, an amorphous, unconstructed set of desires; "I want" is the sum total of it's mind's contents" Thurschwell, P. (2009) (11). The Ego The Ego is more concerned with reality and mediates between the Id and the world around us. The Ego is the consciousness, peoples self awareness, and can suffer from anxiety, guilt, and regret to name a few. The Ego is always trying to balance out the Id to protect the person from getting out of control. Where the Id will want and desire, the ego will maintain a protect and preserve view. According to Freud the Ego has several deffence mechanisms to protect oneself; Displacement, Denial, Repression, Intelectualisation, Rationalisation, Reaction Formation, Regression, Fantasy, Projection, Sublimation, and Compensation. In Narcissism the Id and the Ego are in agreement with eachother as the Id desires and cares for oneself so much.
The Superego
The Super-ego aims to keep us socially accpetable, to maintain control over the Ego and the Id, and it strives for perfection. The Superego's aims condradict that of the Id's which can make it difficult for the Ego the keep a balance. The Superego is the conscience that can induce feelings such as guilt when we do not meet acceptable behaviour, stealing or commiting adultery. While the Superego and the person are developing, the Superego will learn what is acceptable from the parents and parental figures such as; teachers, idols.
Freud's Theory of Psycho-sexual Development
The oral stage is the earliest to occur of the five stages. Newborn babies are initially limited to sucking and drinking. Their sexual instinctual drive is therefore focused around the mouth, initially in passive sucking and chewing. Later, pleasure is derived from more aggressive biting and chewing. Fixations, which persist beyond each developmental stage are manifested through the oral stage as thumb sucking or cigarette smoking.
The anal stage , which occurs in toddlers, is subdivided into two phases – the expressive period, in which the child derives pleasure in expelling faeces, and the retentive period, in which they derive pleasure from storing it. The anal stage coincides with toilet training in the child, and is marked by ‘conflicts with parents about compliance and defiance’ (Ibid 536). 536).(14)
The phallic stage is one of the most significant in the Freudian model. Children obtain pleasure from stimulating their genitals and begin to discriminate between the sex roles of their parents. Initially, a child in the phallic stage will identify with the parent of the opposite sex in what is known as the Oedipus Complex for males and the Electra Complex for females.
The Oedipal phase of the phallic stage gives way to one in which identification with the same-sex parent occurs. Such identification helps to form perception of gender roles and personality.
The latency stage occurs before the onset of puberty and is marked by the dormancy of the libido. Sexual and aggressive drives are channelled into more socially acceptable substitutes.
The genital stage is the final stage to occur, with it coinciding with puberty, it marks the return of conscious sexuality and finds its cathexis in the genitals. Emotional maturity is ultimately attained in this stage, although elements in the form of fixations, from the earlier stages often remain.
Gleitman observes that by and large, Freud never studied children (449), ( Gleitman ), thus rendering the Psychosexual Psycho-sexual Development model (like much of Freudian theory) scientifically debatable. It remains, however, influential. The more recent developmental models of Erik Erikson and Jean Piaget have focussed far less on sexuality as a determining influence on the development of personality. Recent studies have lent support for some of Freud’s psychosexual psycho-sexual theories, especially the Oedipus complex. Interestingly, Westen notes that most obscenities reflect one or another of Freud’s stages, perhaps the most vulgar thing someone can call another person in our society has a distinctly Oedipal ring’ (538). (13).
The Oedipus Complex Freud named the complex after a greek tragedy which told the story of a man named Oedipus who killed his father and then went on to marry his mother. The Oedipus Complex is a theory which states that a boy, during early development, sexualy desires his mother and wants to kill his father. The female version of this is known as the Electra Complex. The theory states that the young boy fears being castrated and the girl suffers from penis envy. To overcome this complex successfuly is to have a healthy and beneficial relationship with the same sex parent (a boy and his father). Freud used history and literature as evidence towards this theory. Literature such as William Shakespere's Hamlet depict the Oedipus Complex.
The Id, the Ego, and the Superego
Freud developed a structural model around the human psyche, this consisted of the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. The theory was first mentioned in an essay in 1920, named 'Beyond the Pleasure Principle'. Freud later delved into this thoey with greater detail in 1923 in 'The Ego and the Id'. The theory refers to the motivations behind peoples behaviour, thoughts, and actions, which can be allocated into one of the three; the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. It is seen that Freud developed this theory to further explain the concept that is the unconscious.
The Id
The Id, or Eros as Freud sometimes referred to it as, is the aspect of the psyche that focusses on desires and would be impulsive by nature. The Id is inseperable from the unconscious and does not take into account the consequences of actions, merely just doing what it wants, when it wants to. "When the child is first born it is a mass of Id, an amorphous, unconstructed set of desires; "I want" is the sum total of it's mind's contents" Thurschwell, P. (2009) (11).The Ego
The Ego is more concerned with reality and mediates between the Id and the world around us. The Ego is the consciousness, peoples self awareness, and can suffer from anxiety, guilt, and regret to name a few. The Ego is always trying to balance out the Id to protect the person from getting out of control. Where the Id will want and desire, the ego will maintain a protect and preserve view. According to Freud the Ego has several deffence mechanisms to protect oneself; Displacement, Denial, Repression, Intelectualisation, Rationalisation, Reaction Formation, Regression, Fantasy, Projection, Sublimation, and Compensation. In Narcissism the Id and the Ego are in agreement with eachother as the Id desires and cares for oneself so much.
The Superego
The Super-ego aims to keep us socially accpetable, to maintain control over the Ego and the Id, and it strives for perfection. The Superego's aims condradict that of the Id's which can make it difficult for the Ego the keep a balance. The Superego is the conscience that can induce feelings such as guilt when we do not meet acceptable behaviour, stealing or commiting adultery. While the Superego and the person are developing, the Superego will learn what is acceptable from the parents and parental figures such as; teachers, idols.Freud's Theory of Psycho-sexual Development
The oral stage is the earliest to occur of the five stages. Newborn babies are initially limited to sucking and drinking. Their sexual instinctual drive is therefore focused around the mouth, initially in passive sucking and chewing. Later, pleasure is derived from more aggressive biting and chewing. Fixations, which persist beyond each developmental stage are manifested through the oral stage as thumb sucking or cigarette smoking.The anal stage , which occurs in toddlers, is subdivided into two phases – the expressive period, in which the child derives pleasure in expelling faeces, and the retentive period, in which they derive pleasure from storing it. The anal stage coincides with toilet training in the child, and is marked by ‘conflicts with parents about compliance and defiance’ (Ibid 536). 536).(14)
The phallic stage is one of the most significant in the Freudian model. Children obtain pleasure from stimulating their genitals and begin to discriminate between the sex roles of their parents. Initially, a child in the phallic stage will identify with the parent of the opposite sex in what is known as the Oedipus Complex for males and the Electra Complex for females.
The Oedipal phase of the phallic stage gives way to one in which identification with the same-sex parent occurs. Such identification helps to form perception of gender roles and personality.
The latency stage occurs before the onset of puberty and is marked by the dormancy of the libido. Sexual and aggressive drives are channelled into more socially acceptable substitutes.
The genital stage is the final stage to occur, with it coinciding with puberty, it marks the return of conscious sexuality and finds its cathexis in the genitals. Emotional maturity is ultimately attained in this stage, although elements in the form of fixations, from the earlier stages often remain.
Gleitman observes that by and large, Freud never studied children (449), ( Gleitman ), thus rendering the Psychosexual Psycho-sexual Development model (like much of Freudian theory) scientifically debatable. It remains, however, influential. The more recent developmental models of Erik Erikson and Jean Piaget have focussed far less on sexuality as a determining influence on the development of personality. Recent studies have lent support for some of Freud’s psychosexual psycho-sexual theories, especially the Oedipus complex. Interestingly, Westen notes that most obscenities reflect one or another of Freud’s stages, perhaps the most vulgar thing someone can call another person in our society has a distinctly Oedipal ring’ (538). (13).
The Oedipus ComplexFreud named the complex after a greek tragedy which told the story of a man named Oedipus who killed his father and then went on to marry his mother. The Oedipus Complex is a theory which states that a boy, during early development, sexualy desires his mother and wants to kill his father. The female version of this is known as the Electra Complex. The theory states that the young boy fears being castrated and the girl suffers from penis envy. To overcome this complex successfuly is to have a healthy and beneficial relationship with the same sex parent (a boy and his father). Freud used history and literature as evidence towards this theory. Literature such as William Shakespere's Hamlet depict the Oedipus Complex.