According to Freuds' Conception of the Human Psyche, also known as psychoanalytic theory, there are 3 components that form both the unconscious and conscious mind. They are:
1. The Id- This is the source of all human pleasure, and is a person's original nature.
2. The Super-ego- This represents how a person thinks they should act in society, based on all their experiences with their parents and other influential figures in their lives.
3. Ego- A person's conscious self that controls both the Id and Super-ego to create a balance between our original nature and what we think we should do as a member of society.
Throughout our lives, the Super-ego constantly creates new rules for us to follow. The ego then must make sure it doesn't go against any of these rules, otherwise, the Super-ego may create negative feelings such as guilt that will be difficult to overcome (Freud's Theory of Defense Mechanisms).
The Super-ego continues throughout a person's life, providing him or her with new values and self-control. Eventually, when a child reaches adulthood, the ego has learned how to control the Id and Super-ego to live according to society's standards (the Ego has gained "Ego Mastery"). However, the Id, Super-Ego, and Ego can quickly change. If a person doesn't live up to what he or she thinks they should be doing in society, the Super-ego may start to impose new rules. This is known as "Mishandling of the Ego" (Freud's Theory of Defense Mechanisms).
When this happens, it causes a person to do things that are against their original nature. When this happens, the Psycho-Analytic Theory of the Neuroses is called into effect. The theory states that a person can have both healthy and unhealthy versions of their mind (Freud's Theory of Defense Mechanisms).
There are two ways to cure this:
1) To strengthen the Ego by raising it to be a stronger, more powerful version of itself. This involves introspection, meditation, and/or psychotherapy. The goal is to make sure that the Ego is always in control (Freud's Theory of Defense Mechanisms).
2) To weaken or "over" correct" the Super-ego by changing societal values, controlling it, or otherwise torturing it psychologically. This involves changing religion, community values, mental health care systems, or contacting an alive or dead loved one (Freud's Theory of Defense Mechanisms).
The goal is to make sure that there is a balance between the Id and Super-ego. The ego should stay in the middle in order to have a healthy mind. In addition, society must attempt to promote personal growth and happiness by not overcorrecting social problems through a weak Super-ego or crippling it with unrealistic responsibilities (Freud's Theory of Defense Mechanisms).
There are many reasons why Freud felt the theory was controversial. One of the main reasons is that it tries to explain an innate function of the mind by using influence from Freud's personal experience with a family member. The theory also seems to contradict itself at times. There are many other criticisms such as the lack of scientific evidence used in its development, leading many people to believe it is not a proven theory.
Despite these difficulties, Freud felt this was his biggest accomplishment because he was able to determine how he could give help and therapy through the use of psychoanalysis (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). The Psychoanalytic Theory plays a key role in all psychoanalytic therapies because it is used as a basis for the theories behind them (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).
The Id, Super-ego, and Ego are the three main components that contribute to the human psyche. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this theory. Regardless of opinions, there is a lot of support to suggest this theory has merit in explaining some functions of the mind.
Referencing Information:
1. Freud's Theory of Defense Mechanisms. (2013). In Encyclopedia Britannica.
2. Id, ego, super-ego, (n.d.). In Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
