If you usually watch cartoons, you must have seen an episode where the character needed to make a moral decision and then a little angel and a little devil appeared talking in his ear. The little angel, always thoughtful, pointed to the right decision. The devil, on the other hand, always told him to make the wrong choice. And we see ourselves in the character's place: in the middle.
These are the classic representations of elements of our psychic apparatus, defended by the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. One of them shows our most primitive impulses. The second is precisely the brake on these impulses, which would establish moral laws and rules. And the third is that part that is in the middle of everything, trying to balance the dishes.
To these elements Freud gave the names of id, superego and ego, respectively. Of course, their roles, interactions and influences go beyond this analogy with the voices in our heads portrayed in cartoons. And we are going to clarify all these questions in this article. Keep reading to find out more!
Who was Freud?
It is impossible not to know, even superficially, who Sigmund Freud was. Considered the founder of psychoanalysis, Freud was a neurologist who considerably influenced psychology, including being a reference for processes carried out to date.
Thanks to him, the psychological treatment performed through dialogue between patient and doctor, the so-called talking cure, in which patients were encouraged to talk about traumas while he took notes on what was being reported, became popular. The classic image of the person lying on the couch and the therapist with his notebook, known to this day.
Freud brought several contributions not only to psychology, but to science, philosophy, medicine and, above all, to the understanding of the individual. In addition to psychoanalysis and the theories we discuss here, Freud developed several concepts and several works that enabled the advancement of psychology. Among his most widespread and influential books are “The Interpretation of Dreams”, “Totem and Taboo”, “Studies on Hysteria” and “On Narcissism”.
What are id, ego and superego?
Freud developed a method in which he divided the psychic apparatus - or the psyche, which corresponds to the phenomena that occur in our mind - into three elements, initially called unconscious, preconscious and conscious. He later reviewed these elements, developing a structural model, arriving at id, ego, and superego.
We already gave a clue earlier, with the example of the cartoons, but let's go into a little more detail on each of these structures. The id (which means “it”, as a reference to what is in us, but at the same time is not part of our self) is related to our organic impulses, our unconscious desires. It is our source of pleasure, libido. The id is our need for immediate satisfaction, no matter what the consequences, as it is guided by instinct.
The ego is in the middle of rational and irrational forces, being a point of balance between the other two structures, allowing us to regulate actions and reactions. It acts as a mediator for id impulses and superego rigidity. The latter, in turn, is what characterizes our morality, repressing instincts and irrationality. Simply put: the superego is the one that clashes with the id in every aspect of our psyche.
id — that
Totally unconscious and related to instincts, organic impulses and unconscious desires, the id represents the constant search for pleasure, as it is the source of libido, understood as psychic energy. It does not know moral and ethical values, logic and reason. Everything is urgent, do not wait, do not plan, seek immediate solutions to tense and stressful situations. He doesn't accept frustrations well and doesn't inhibit himself. It has no contact with reality. Impulsive, blind and antisocial. It does not distinguish right and wrong, consequences, time and space. It also contains sexual impulses. It's that voice in our head that says, "If you feel like it, do it!".
Thus, the character of the id is volatile. It is because of him that, eventually, we adopt unreasonable and uncompensated behaviors, in which we get lost. He doesn't consider boundaries, respect and empathy. However, it concentrates all the strength of the individual to make the desires happen. However, it is inconsequential and generates vulnerability, which can lead to serious consequences. This is where balance becomes essential. The three parts need to work together so that there are no excesses or absences.
It is important to emphasize that these three parts are intertwined in a variety of functions and dynamic processes of the individual. Therefore, even being at the unconscious level, the id can come to the surface, as there is some flexibility and movement between mental levels.
self - me
Contrary to the id, the ego is based on the reality principle, which is acquired in the socio-historical-cultural environment, as it needs to satisfy the id's desires, however within the conventions or in an adequate and adapted way. Thus, he considers that there are no constraints, inadequacies, legal violations, etc. It still deals with impulses, so that the action is appropriate to the environment in which the individual is inserted.
But it is the id that makes the development of the ego possible. If at the beginning of life the individual is more driven by impulses and the satisfaction of pleasure needs, as he becomes aware of his own identity, the ego develops and, to allow the impulses to be efficient and adequate to the external world , it introduces reason, planning, and the timing when human behavior can satisfy the id's desires with maximum pleasure and minimum negative effects.
Thus, the ego is a mediator between the id and the outside world and obtains energy from the id itself. He still faces the superego, the varied memories and the physical needs of the organism. It seeks to meet and assuage the constant demands of the id and the rigidity of the superego. It makes possible the preservation of health, sanity and security of the psyche. It is also not fully conscious, since the defense mechanisms that comprise it are part of the unconscious level.
Furthermore, the ego is responsible for the scientific side of the individual, for interpretation and action in the world outside the mind. It is what enables an attentive, focused and concentrated mind. It allows the individual to answer who he is, his personality being explicit to society. He is the voice in your head that says, "Evaluate and decide what's right."
It is very common for people to understand the ego as something selfish or self-centered, egocentric. In fact these terms relate to this part of the psychic system. Some even mistakenly believe that the ego should not exist, as this would facilitate social coexistence. However, if it does not exist, there is no identity; the individual would not be able to differentiate what is pertinent to himself and what is the other or what is himself and what are things, representing a pattern of schizophrenia.
However, the way the ego works interferes with behavior and interpersonal relationships. Thus, an inflated or exaggerated ego can lead the individual to become narcissistic, with feelings of superiority, an inability to learn and listen to their own criticism. It can hide frustrations, traumas and pain, denouncing someone in a condition of suffering that he wants to omit. So that kind of ego is incapable of being spontaneous. On the other hand, when the ego is very fragile, it makes the individual submissive, susceptible to exploitation and bullying, with low self-esteem and fear of not being accepted by the other or a social group.
Thus, an unbalanced ego means a maladaptive personality and can result in pathology. If the id, for example, is dominant, the individual will be impulsive and not very sociable. If the ego is dominant, it will be too attached to reality, with rigidity and little flexibility in social rules and values.
Superego - supereu
The superego is the moral character of the individual's personality, responsible for appeasing the id, that is, containing the primitive instincts based on the moral, historical and cultural values of the society in which one lives. It composes the structure of the cultural personality of the individual, representing the social patterns that he has been absorbing throughout life, taught first by the family and then acquired in the social environment, which inhibit rudimentary instincts. In fact, some scholars maintain that the superego acts to improve and civilize the behavior of the individual, considering what would be ideal, and not necessarily the real. Furthermore, according to Freud, he begins to be introjected from the age of five and forms after the ego. He descends from the Oedipus complex, because, in him, during the phallic phase, the individual begins to perceive the authority, represented by the father, the prohibition of incest, castration and social rules and moral conduct, from the explicit to the very tacit. .
The superego acts on the three levels of consciousness of the individual. He is a guide about what is right and what is wrong, providing guidelines for judgment, evaluation and criticism. It is divided into two subsystems: the ego ideal, which determines the good to be sought, and the moral conscience, which establishes the evil to be avoided. He is the voice in the head that says, "You mustn't do this, it's not right."
Furthermore, the superego has three functions: to inhibit (with guilt or punishment) any impulse other than that established by moral conscience; forcing the ego to act morally; lead the individual to perfection, in thoughts, words or gestures, according to what the ego ideal establishes.
However, if it is in disequilibrium, when the id is dominant and the superego is very reduced, the individual does not show remorse or guilt, therefore he has no moral conscience, which characterizes psychopaths or sociopaths, as the term is updated. Already with a dominant or hyperactive superego, the individual can be extremely moralistic and alienated, unable to give in and excessively radical.
How do they work in practice?
Freud's personality theory and his concepts about the id, the ego and the superego are important insofar as they guide the understanding of human behavior in different everyday circumstances, in addition to being one of the most important references in the identification and treatment of psychic pathologies.
In any case, understanding how these voices in our minds work on a day-to-day basis can clarify the content exposed above. So let's take a common example of what the role of the id, the ego and the superego would be in relation to it:
Imagine that you are in your car driving to work. You are in your driving hand and in your lane, with speed within the permitted limit, when, suddenly, another vehicle passes you, temporarily closing your continuation on the road.
The id at work: you go in pursuit of the vehicle, block its way and start an argument with the driver. Here, what prevails is the primitive impulse, irrationality, disinhibition, the immediate solution to a tense situation, without planning. There is the antisocial character.
The superego at work: you understand that the traffic rules were not followed by the other driver, but were followed by you. You are prevented from adopting impulsive behavior, having as a moral principle not to retaliate, which could have a bad consequence.
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The ego at work: you deal with reality, because you are going to work, you want to be on time, nothing has actually happened to you or the car and you don't have to fight back, because you understand that the other person may have been distracted.
See that, in balance, the three parts of the psyche (mind) generate behavior adapted to the social context and appropriate to the situation and moment. It does not cause internal or external conflicts. They are not harmful. However, if any one of them were in primacy, the results would be different, especially those related to the id.
In conclusion, the voices in our mind must be in tune. They represent the content of our personality and make us who we are. Mental health, in turn, both influences behaviors and is also influenced by them. Self-knowledge is a fundamental tool for a more adequate social life. So, far beyond these concepts, in which you can seek to delve deeper, know and understand that the mind is an immensely rich universe to be unveiled! Accept the challenge! Discover your personality.
