Freud's psychoanalytic theory proposes that personality is composed of three parts: the id, ego, and superego. The id operates on the pleasure principle, seeking instant gratification. The ego develops to satisfy the id's desires in a realistic way based on the reality principle. The superego incorporates societal values and causes guilt when standards are not met. Behavior results from unconscious drives and the constant interaction between these three parts to reduce psychological tension.
2. Psychoanalytic Approach To Personality
Psychoanalytical Approach based on Freud’s work.
The idea that behaviour can be influenced by an unconscious
part of the mind.
3. Freudian Theory of Personality
Three Parts of the Mind
Aspects of mind which
houses our thoughts and
cognitive activities
3 parts: the conscious, the
preconscious, the
unconscious
4. The Conscious
Contains thoughts of
which you are currently
aware
Constantly changing as
new thoughts enter the
mind and others pass out
of awareness
5. The Preconscious
Stores all the thoughts you
could easily bring into
consciousness if you
wanted to.
E.g. what you ate for
breakfast, who your
kindergarten teacher was,
etc.
6. The Unconscious
According to Freud, vast
majority of our thoughts
are in the unconscious
No immediate access to
Cannot bring into
consciousness except
under certain extreme
situations.
Responsible for much of
our everyday behaviour.
7. Three parts of the Personality
In Freud’s view, the human personality could be divided into
three parts:
Id, ego and superego
According to Freud, these parts are often not at peace with
one another
8. Id
The one and only part to the human personality AT BIRTH.
Actions based on pleasure principle – the id is only concerned with
satisfying personal desires, regardless of limitations or
consequence.
These reflexive actions are still present as adults, but held in check
by other parts of the personality.
Id uses wish fulfillment to satisfy its needs: if a baby is hungry with
no food nearby, the id imagines the food and temporarily satisfies
the need.
Id impulses are unconscious, therefore we are unaware of all the
impulses we might wish to act upon.
9. Ego
0-2yrs + interaction with environment = ego
Ego’s actions based on the reality principle – that is, the
primary job of the ego is to satisfy the id impulse, but in a
realistic way.
Keeps unacceptable and dangerous id impulses in the
unconscious
10. Superego
About five years = superego
Represents society’s and parents’ values and standards
Places more restrictions on what one can and cannot do.
Primary weapon – guilt!
According to Freud, some children fail to fully develop the
superego due to poor child-rearing practices.
Can also become too powerful (“supermoral”), with
impossible standards of perfection.
13. Instincts and Tension Reduction
Freud maintained that human behaviour is motivated by strong
internal forces – drives/instincts
Two major categories of instincts:
1) life/sexual instincts - Eros
2) death/aggressive instincts - Thanatos
The two types combine to motivate behaviours.
Freud attributed most human behaviour to the life/sexual instinct.
Note: sexual includes anything resulting in pleasure.
Death instinct: the desire we all have to die and return to the earth.
Mostly unconscious.
Expression: self destruction, aggression against others.
14. Instinct Activation
Increased psychological tension is created.
Comparable to feelings of excitation, nervousness and
arousal.
Tension remains until the particular need is satisfied.
Undesirable state = goal of most human behaviour to reduce
the tension and return to a state of no tension.
