According to Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality, personality is

composed of three elements. These three elements of personality - known as the id,
the ego and the superego - work together to create complex human behaviors.
The Id

The id is the only component of personality that is present from birth.

This aspect of personality is entirely unconscious and includes of the

instinctive and primitive behaviors.

According to Freud, the id is the source of all psychic energy, making it the
primary component of personality.

The id is driven by the pleasure principle, which strives for immediate gratification
of all desires, wants, and needs. If these needs are not satisfied immediately, the
result is a state anxiety or tension. For example, an increase in hunger or thirst
should produce an immediate attempt to eat or drink. The id is very important early
in life, because it ensures that an infant's needs are met. If the infant is hungry or
uncomfortable, he or she will cry until the demands of the id are met.
However, immediately satisfying these needs is not always realistic or even
possible. If we were ruled entirely by the pleasure principle, we might find ourselves
grabbing things we want out of other people's hands to satisfy our own cravings.
This sort of behavior would be both disruptive and socially unacceptable. According
to Freud, the id tries to resolve the tension created by the pleasure principle through
the primary process, which involves forming a mental image of the desired object as
a way of satisfying the need.
The Ego

The ego is the component of personality that is responsible for dealing with
reality.

According to Freud, the ego develops from the id and ensures that the
impulses of the id can be expressed in a manner acceptable in the real world.

The ego functions in both the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious

mind.

The ego operates based on the reality principle, which strives to satisfy the id's
desires in realistic and socially appropriate ways. The reality principle weighs the
costs and benefits of an action before deciding to act upon or abandon impulses. In
many cases, the id's impulses can be satisfied through a process of delayed
gratification--the ego will eventually allow the behavior, but only in the appropriate
time and place.
The ego also discharges tension created by unmet impulses through the secondary
process, in which the ego tries to find an object in the real world that matches the
mental image created by the id's primary process.
The Superego
The last component of personality to develop is the superego.

The superego is the aspect of personality that holds all of our internalized
moral standards and ideals that we acquire from both parents and society our sense of right and wrong.

The superego provides guidelines for making judgments.

According to Freud, the superego begins to emerge at around age five.

There are two parts of the superego:

1. The ego ideal includes the rules and standards for good behaviors. These
behaviors include those which are approved of by parental and other
authority figures. Obeying these rules leads to feelings of pride, value and
accomplishment.

2. The conscience includes information about things that are viewed as bad by
parents and society. These behaviors are often forbidden and lead to bad
consequences, punishments or feelings of guilt and remorse.
The superego acts to perfect and civilize our behavior. It works to suppress all
unacceptable urges of the id and struggles to make the ego act upon idealistic
standards rather that upon realistic principles. The superego is present in the
conscious, preconscious and unconscious.
The Interaction of the Id, Ego and Superego

With so many competing forces, it is easy to see how conflict might arise between
the id, ego and superego. Freud used the term ego strength to refer to the ego's
ability to function despite these dueling forces. A person with good ego strength is
able to effectively manage these pressures, while those with too much or too little
ego strength can become too unyielding or too disrupting.
According to Freud, the key to a healthy personality is a balance between the id, the
ego, and the superego.
Freud's Structural and Topographical Models of Personality
Sigmund Freud's Theory is quite complex and although his writings on psychosexual
development set the groundwork for how our personalities developed, it was only
one of five parts to his overall theory of personality. He also believed that different
driving forces develop during these stages which play an important role in how we
interact with the world.
Structural Model (id, ego, superego)
According to Freud, we are born with our Id. The id is an important part of our
personality because as newborns, it allows us to get our basic needs met. Freud
believed that the id is based on our pleasure principle. In other words, the id wants
whatever feels good at the time, with no consideration for the reality of the
situation. When a child is hungry, the id wants food, and therefore the child cries.
When the child needs to be changed, the id cries. When the child is uncomfortable,
in pain, too hot, too cold, or just wants attention, the id speaks up until his or her
needs are met.
The id doesn't care about reality, about the needs of anyone else, only its own
satisfaction. If you think about it, babies are not real considerate of their parents'
wishes. They have no care for time, whether their parents are sleeping, relaxing,
eating dinner, or bathing. When the id wants something, nothing else is important.
Within the next three years, as the child interacts more and more with the world,
the second part of the personality begins to develop. Freud called this part the Ego.
The ego is based on the reality principle. The ego understands that other people
have needs and desires and that sometimes being impulsive or selfish can hurt us
in the long run. Its the ego's job to meet the needs of the id, while taking into
consideration the reality of the situation.
By the age of five, or the end of the phallic stage of development, the Superego
develops. The Superego is the moral part of us and develops due to the moral and
ethical restraints placed on us by our caregivers. Many equate the superego with
the conscience as it dictates our belief of right and wrong.
In a healthy person, according to Freud, the ego is the strongest so that it can
satisfy the needs of the id, not upset the superego, and still take into consideration

the reality of every situation. Not an easy job by any means, but if the id gets too
strong, impulses and self gratification take over the person's life. If the superego
becomes to strong, the person would be driven by rigid morals, would be
judgmental and unbending in his or her interactions with the world. You'll learn how
the ego maintains control as you continue to read.
Topographical Model
Freud believed that the majority of what we experience in our lives, the underlying
emotions, beliefs, feelings, and impulses are not available to us at a conscious level.
He believed that most of what drives us is buried in our unconscious. If you
remember the Oedipus and Electra Complex, they were both pushed down into the
unconscious, out of our awareness due to the extreme anxiety they caused. While
buried there, however, they continue to impact us dramatically according to Freud.
The role of the unconscious is only one part of the model. Freud also believed that
everything we are aware of is stored in our conscious. Our conscious makes up a
very small part of who we are. In other words, at any given time, we are only aware
of a very small part of what makes up our personality; most of what we are is buried
and inaccessible.
The final part is the preconscious
or subconscious. This is the part of
us that we can access if prompted,
but is not in our active conscious.
Its right below the surface, but still
buried somewhat unless we search
for it. Information such as our
telephone number, some
childhood memories, or the name
of your best childhood friend is
stored in the preconscious.
Because the unconscious is so
large, and because we are only
aware of the very small conscious
at any given time, this theory has
been likened to an iceberg, where the vast majority is buried beneath the water's
surface. The water, by the way, would represent everything that we are not aware

Ego Defense Mechanisms

We stated earlier that the ego's job was to satisfy the id's impulses, not offend the
moralistic character of the superego, while still taking into consideration the reality
of the situation. We also stated that this was not an easy job. Think of the id as the
'devil on your shoulder' and the superego as the 'angel of your shoulder.' We don't
want either one to get too strong so we talk to both of them, hear their perspective
and then make a decision. This decision is the ego talking, the one looking for that
healthy balance.
Before we can talk more about this, we need to understand what drives the id, ego,
and superego. According to Freud, we only have two drives; sex and aggression. In
other words, everything we do is motivated by one of these two drives.
Sex, also called Eros or the Life force, represents our drive to live, prosper, and
produce offspring. Aggression, also called Thanatos or our Death force, represents
our need to stay alive and stave off threats to our existence, our power, and our
prosperity.
Now the ego has a difficult time satisfying both the id and the superego, but it
doesn't have to do so without help. The ego has some tools it can use in its job as
the mediator, tools that help defend the ego. These are called Ego Defense
Mechanisms or Defenses. When the ego has a difficult time making both the id
and the superego happy, it will employ one or more of these defenses:
DEFENSE

DESCRIPTION

EXAMPLE

denial

arguing against an
anxiety provoking
stimuli by stating it
doesn't exist

denying that your physician's

diagnosis of cancer is correct
and seeking a second opinion

displacement

taking out impulses

on a less
threatening target

slamming a door instead of

hitting as person, yelling at your
spouse after an argument with
your boss

intellectualizat
ion

avoiding
unacceptable
emotions by
focusing on the
intellectual aspects

focusing on the details of a

funeral as opposed to the
sadness and grief

projection

placing
unacceptable

when losing an argument, you

state "You're just Stupid;"

impulses in
yourself onto
someone else

homophobia

rationalization

supplying a logical
or rational reason
as opposed to the
real reason

stating that you were fired

because you didn't kiss up the
the boss, when the real reason
was your poor performance

reaction
formation

taking the opposite

belief because the
true belief causes
anxiety

having a bias against a

particular race or culture and
then embracing that race or
culture to the extreme

regression

returning to a
previous stage of
development

sitting in a corner and crying

after hearing bad news;
throwing a temper tantrum
when you don't get your way

repression

pulling into the

unconscious

forgetting sexual abuse from

your childhood due to the
trauma and anxiety

sublimation

acting out
unacceptable
impulses in a
socially acceptable
way

sublimating your aggressive

impulses toward a career as a
boxer; becoming a surgeon
because of your desire to cut;
lifting weights to release 'pent
up' energy

suppression

pushing into the

unconscious

trying to forget something that

causes you anxiety

Ego defenses are not necessarily unhealthy as you can see by the examples above.
In face, the lack of these defenses, or the inability to use them effectively can often
lead to problems in life. However, we sometimes employ the defenses at the wrong
time or overuse them, which can be equally destructive.
Definition:
According to Freud, the ego is part of personality that mediates the demands of the
id, the superego and reality. The ego prevents us from acting on our basic urges

(created by the id), but also works to achieve a balance with our moral and idealistic
standards (created by the superego). While the ego operates in both the
preconscious and conscious, its strong ties to the id means that it also operates in
the unconscious.
The ego operates based on the reality principle, which works to satisfy the id's
desires in a manner that is realistic and socially appropriate. For example, if a
person cuts you off in traffic, the ego prevents you from chasing down the car and
physically attacking the offending driver. The ego allows us to see that this response
would be socially unacceptable, but it also allows us to know that there are other
more appropriate means of venting our frustration.
Observations

"One might compare the relation of the ego to the id with that between a
rider and his horse. The horse provides the locomotor energy, and the rider
has the prerogative of determining the goal and of guiding the movements of
his powerful mount towards it. But all too often in the relations between the
ego and the id we find a picture of the less ideal situation in which the rider is
obliged to guide his horse in the direction in which it itself wants to go."
(Sigmund Freud, 1933, New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis)

"All the defensive measures of the ego against the id are carried out silently
and invisibly. The most we can ever do is to reconstruct them in retrospect:
we can never really witness them in operation. This statement applies, for
instance, to successful repression. The ego knows nothing of it; we are aware
of it only subsequently, when it becomes apparent that something is
missing."
(Anna Freud, 1936, The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense)

Quotations About the Ego

"The ego is not master in its own house."

(Sigmund Freud, 1917, A Difficulty in the Path of Psycho-Analysis)

"It is easy to see that the ego is that part of the id which has been modified
by the direct influence of the external world."
(Sigmund Freud, 1923, The Ego and the Id)

"The ego represents what we call reason and sanity, in contrast to the id
which contains the passions."
(Sigmund Freud, 1923, The Ego and the Id)

"Towards the outside, at any rate, the ego seems to maintain clear and sharp
lines of demarcation. There is only one state admittedly an unusual state,
but not one that can be stigmatized as pathological in which it does not do
this. At the height of being in love the boundary between ego and object
threatens to melt away. Against all the evidence of his senses, a man who is
in love declares that "I" and "you" are one, and is prepared to behave as if it
were a fact."
(Sigmund Freud, 1929, Civilization and Its Discontents)

"The poor ego has a still harder time of it; it has to serve three harsh masters,
and it has to do its best to reconcile the claims and demands of all three...
The three tyrants are the external world, the superego, and the id."
(Sigmund Freud, 1932, New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis)

Id: Meeting Basic Needs

The id is the most basic part of the personality, and wants instant gratification for
our wants and needs. If these needs or wants are not met, a person becomes tense
or anxious.

Sally was thirsty. Rather than waiting for the server to refill her glass of water,
she reached across the table and drank from Mr. Smiths water glass, much to
his surprise.

A hungry baby cried until he was fed.

A toddler who wanted another helping of dessert whined incessantly until she
was given another serving.

Michael saw a $5 bill fall out of Nicks backpack as he pulled his books out of
his locker. As Nick walked away, Michael bent over, picked up the money, and
slipped it into his pocket, glancing around to make sure no one was looking.

On Black Friday, customers were so obsessed with getting a good deal that
they shoved others out of their way and trampled them, not thinking twice
about hurting people if it meant they could get want they wanted.

In line at the salad bar, Amy was so hungry that she shoved a handful of
croutons in her mouth as she waited for the line to move.

Bart was stuck in traffic. He just wanted his vehicle to move! Enraged at the
situation, Bart pulled his car onto the shoulder and sped forward, not caring
that he was clipping peoples side mirrors as he tried to get ahead of the cars
in front of him.

Ego: Dealing with Reality

The ego deals with reality, trying to meet the desires of the id in a way that is
socially acceptable in the world. This may mean delaying gratification, and helping
to get rid of the tension the id feels if a desire is not met right away. The ego
recognizes that other people have needs and wants too, and that being selfish is not
always good for us in the long run.

Sally was thirsty. However, she knew that her server would be back soon to
refill her water glass, so she waited until then to get a drink, even though she
really just wanted to drink from Mr. Smiths glass.

Even though Michael needed money, he decided not to steal the money from
the cash register because he didnt want to get in trouble.

In line at the salad bar, Amy really wanted to shove a handful of croutons into
her mouth. However, since her boss was there, she decided to wait another
minute or two until she sat down to eat.

Mary really wanted to borrow her moms necklace, but knew her mom would
be angry if she took it without asking, so she asked her mom if she could
wear it.

Hillary was so sweaty after her workout that she wanted to change her
clothes right there by the car. However, she knew the other people around
her would not approve, so she waited until she was in the restroom to
change.

Katies mom had given her $25 to purchase groceries for dinner that night. At
the mall, Katie saw shoes that she really wanted, and was tempted to use the
money from her mom to make the purchase. However, if she spent the
money on shoes, she wouldnt have enough to buy the groceries, so she
decided she better not buy the shoes.

Tim really wanted to slug Mark for what he had just said. However, Tim knew
if he hit Mark, he would be kicked off the baseball team, and since he loved
baseball, he unclenched his fists and walked away.

Superego: Adding Morals

The superego develops last, and is based on morals and judgments about right and
wrong. Even though the superego and the ego may reach the same decision about

something, the superegos reason for that decision is more based on moral values,
while the egos decision is based more on what others will think or what the
consequences of an action could be.

Sarah knew that she could steal the supplies from work and no one would
know about it. However, she knew that stealing was wrong, so she decided
not to take anything even though she would probably never get caught.

Maggie couldnt remember the answer to test question #12, even though she
had studied. Nate was the smartest kid in the class, and from where Maggie
sat, she could see his answers if she turned her head slightly. When Mrs.
Archer turned her back, Maggie almost cheated, but her conscience stopped
her because she knew it was wrong. Instead, Maggie took a guess at the
answer and then turned in her paper.

While away on business, Tom had many opportunities to be unfaithful to his

wife. However, he knew the damage such behavior would have on his family,
so made the decision to avoid the women who had expressed interest in him.

When Michael saw the $5 bill lying on the floor with no one around it, he
turned it into the school office in case anyone came looking for it. He
wouldnt want to lose $5, and hoped that whoever had lost it would ask about
it in the office.

The cashier only charged the couple for one meal even though they had
eaten two. They could have gotten away with only paying for one, but they
pointed out the cashiers mistake and offered to pay for both meals. They
wanted to be honest and they knew that the restaurant owner and employees
needed to make a living.

On the playground, two kids were making fun of Joseph because he wore
glasses. John was tempted to join in so that he could make himself look good,
but when he thought about how bad Joseph must already feel, he knew that
he couldnt.

Will had worked hard all season to break the school record in cross-country.
During his last race he had the opportunity to cut a corner and therefore
lower his time, because no officials were watching that part of the course. As
much as he wanted to break the school record, Will knew he wouldnt feel
good about himself if he cheated, so he stuck to the course and ran as fast as
he could.

The id, ego and superego work together in creating a behavior. The id creates the
demands, the ego adds the needs of reality with the superego adds morality to the
action which is taken.