Freud

When taking psychology 100, I mostly enjoyed learning about Freud, Skinner, and Pavlov. The psychoanalytic theory and its use of the id, ego, and superego were very interesting. This theory includes multiple stages described by Freud. Psychoanalytic theory is, in many ways, the first psychological theory. Sigmund Freud developed this theory and has served as a foundation on which to build many other psychological theories.

Psychoanalytic theory suggests that human behavior is determined, largely, by the unconscious and instinctual drives. Freud would often speak of libido, which he later expanded to life instincts, and death instincts. He also originated the concepts of the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is the part of the psyche consisting of biological instincts and ruled by pleasure. It is often thought of as demanding, selfish, and needy and is compared to a new born child. The ego is the psychological portion of a personality that is ruled by reality. It is charged with controlling the id and provides rationality and intelligence to the personality. The superego is the moral aspect of personality, often thought of as the conscience. Freud proposed that the moral code of the superego is an internalization of the values of parents and society. The superego strives for perfection and houses the emotions of pride and guilt. Freud said that psychic energy is being shared among the three aspects of personality; human behavior is a result of how this energy is shared.

Freud would also spoke of the “conscious” and the “unconscious.” The unconscious part of the mind is what controls automatic responses and, according to Freud, is the root of neuroses. Certain types of anxiety stem from the unconscious, largely as a result of the interaction among the id, ego, and superego.