The inner world of a person, even if he is absolutely healthy in the mental plane, is not at all homogeneous. In his soul lives a large number of different "I", which can be called subpersonalities or characters. Of course, it is rather difficult to imagine that a person consists of several parts. After all, healthy people do not talk to themselves and feel that their soul is whole. However, Freud’s theory of “It,” “I,” and “Super-I” proves that the polyphony of inner characters still exists. Moreover, they are elements of the structure of the human psyche, just as the totality of the organs of the body is a living organism. Consider the theory of "I", "It" and "Superego" and what psychoanalysis is.
Definition of a concept
For more than one century, the greatest minds of mankind have been trying to study the structure of human personality. However, it was only the psychoanalytic theory that was created at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century that allowed answers to many questions.
The ideas of this direction had a significant impact on literature, art, medicine, as well as on many areas of science that are associated with the study of man. At the same time, psychoanalysis became the only discipline that was so widely known.
The founder of this direction is Sigmund Freud (1856–1939). It was his ideas that formed the basis, and after some adjustment and additions formed a psychoanalysis. This concept, which includes three elements:
- theory of psychopathy and personality;
- the method by which the treatment of personality disorders is carried out;
- a way to study the feelings of a person and his unconscious thoughts.
History of creation
The psychoanalytic method was developed by Freud based on the experiments of Viennese Dr. Joseph Breyer. This doctor treated a patient with severe hysteria. In order to understand the causes of deep emotional turmoil, Breyer decided to apply hypnosis. It was this method that made the patient talk about the circumstances that preceded the disease. As it became clear, most of the symptoms of hysteria were the result of the affective experiences that the girl experienced while on duty at the bedside of her beloved seriously ill father. The doctor made his patient not only remember this period. During the sessions he conducted, the girl once again experienced her affective states. As a result, all symptoms of the disease disappeared. Breyer called his catharsis treatment method, which is translated from Greek as “purification”.
Based on such experiments, Freud suggested that the field of the psychic is not at all reduced to the conscious. Often, the true motives of a person’s behavior are far beyond his consciousness. Later Freud began to apply the catharsic method himself. He did this not even in the hypnotic state of the patient, but in normal. The results of such studies have convincingly proved that the psyche of people has a versatile and complex structure.
Before Freud, doctors could not explain some of the clinical signs of hysteria in terms of physiological factors. Indeed, in patients one of the parts of the body completely lost its sensitivity, and the areas located in their neighborhood continued to feel various irritants. Moreover, before Freud created the theory of “I,” “It,” and “Super-I,” it was impossible to explain the behavior of people that occurred in a state of hypnosis. That is why the scientist suggested that only part of the processes occurring in the psyche is a reaction of the central nervous system.
Topographic model
According to Freud, the human psyche consists of three areas. These are the systems:
- conscious;
- preconscious;
- unconscious.
Let's consider them in more detail.
Consciousness
The first of the elements included in the structure of the psyche includes the sensations and experiences that are given to a person at one time or another. Consciousness can capture only a small percentage of the information stored by the brain. Moreover, part of such data is able to be recognized only for a short period. After a person’s attention switches to other signals, this information plunges into deeper layers.
This element of the psyche, based on Freud’s theory of "I", "It" and "Super-I", has a direct impact on the choice of individual behavior in society. However, consciousness in this matter does not occupy a dominant position. Sometimes the choice of a particular line of behavior is initiated by the unconscious sphere.
Preconscious
This area is sometimes called accessible memory. It includes all the experience of a person who is not currently being used by the individual. Nevertheless, the necessary information can always easily return to consciousness. This happens either spontaneously or as a result of small efforts.
Under the preconscious in his theory of “I,” “It,” and “Superego,” Freud understood the part of the psyche that, by its description, is unconscious. However, when a person directs attention to her, this area becomes potentially conscious. In the field of the preconscious, in particular, include free associations that are used by experts in the practice of psychoanalysis.
Unconscious
This is the deepest and most significant layer of the human psyche. It is a kind of repository of memories, emotions and instinctual impulses. Such manifestations at one time so threatened consciousness that they were suppressed by man and forced out by him in this area. Nevertheless, this material, which is not realized by the individual, largely determines its daily functioning. Those experiences that have moved into the realm of the unconscious are inaccessible to human consciousness. Nevertheless, they have a certain impact on the actions of people.
In his popular philosophy of “I,” “It,” and “Superego,” Freud distinguishes between three varieties of the unconscious. In a descriptive sense, it does not serve as the subject of psychoanalysis. In a dynamic concept, the unconscious means a conflict that forces out experiences from consciousness. This area is also considered in the structural sense. At the same time, Freud notes that the unconscious acts according to special laws that are able to control mental activity. Among them:
- the inability to distinguish between reality and fantasy;
- lack of time and principle of contradiction, etc.
As a result of many years of clinical observations, the Freudian concept of personality was created. “I”, “It” and “Super-I” in it became the designations of the three components of the personality. Consider their description according to the theory of psychoanalysis.
Ego "I"
This is a special psychic instance or personality as a whole. In Freud, it serves to indicate the sphere of consciousness.
When considering the human psyche from the point of view of the structural model of "I", "It" and "Super-I", this authority stands out by the fact that it seeks to control all the processes that occur within the human inner world.
The psychological function of the "I" is to bring the course of events to "It." In the future, according to the theory of “I”, “It”, “Super-Self” of Z. Freud, some desires and motives of a person pass into a higher level in level. After this, it is difficult for them to regain consciousness because of the barricades and barriers built on their path. Also, “I” in Freud’s theory is responsible for the manifestation of the actions of defense mechanisms.
The ego is that component of the personality structure of the individual, which is designed to closely contact with surrounding people. “I” arises from “It.” Moreover, this element appears at the moment when the child, having matured a little, begins to consider himself as a person. "It," according to Freud, is a kind of nourishment for the ego, which is a protective shell of basic instincts.
Eid, or "It"
By “It,” in his concept of “I,” “It,” and “Superego,” Freud understood the unconscious part of the psyche. This sphere, according to the scientist, is a cauldron in which biologically innate instinctual drives, sexual and aggressive, are seething. “It” is libido. Moreover, it has a lot of sexual energy. Each person, according to Freud, is a closed energy system. It has a certain amount of energy, the level of which for each individual is a constant value. “It” is unconscious and irrational. This area is subject to the principle of pleasure, and this, like happiness, is the main goal of the life of any person.
According to Freud, “It” is already inherent in every person from birth. This structure includes heredity and basic instincts. “It” is difficult to describe if guided by logic alone. The fact is that this sphere is characterized by randomness and disorganization. Freud noted that Eid has unlimited influence on other components of a person’s personality.
Superego, or “Superego”
Consider the third area of the human psyche. What is the “Superego”? The definition of “Super-Self” makes it clear that this sphere is part of the ego and performs the function of moral evaluation and self-observation. This element is formed as a result of introjection of the value system of parents and their images. At the same time, according to Sigmund Freud, “Super-I” is a carrier of moral standards. This part of the personality plays the role of censor of conscience and criticism.
In the case when the "I" makes a decision or acts for the sake of the "It", but comes in opposition to the "Super-I", a person has a feeling of shame, guilt and reproach of conscience. This is a kind of punishment for him.
Above the ego, according to Freud, begins from the "I". It is a specific base that stores moral rules and laws that restrict a person and prohibit certain actions. According to Freud, the main task of this element is to build ideals, conscience and self-observation.
“Super-I” in Freud’s theory is a kind of ideal “I”. In this case, the scientist calls the superego a differentiated structural unit that exists inside the "I".
“Superself” is the highest authority in the system of a person’s spiritual life. Freud connects its formation with the period when the child overcomes the sexual phase, called the Oedipus complex. This is the moment when a small person, as a result of a relationship with his parents, begins to identify himself with them. This allows his infantile "I" to accumulate strength to overcome the Oedipus complex. When it is replaced, the ideal “I”, or superego, is created.
It is interesting that even if we look at Freud "I", "It" and "Super-I" briefly, it becomes clear the behavior of young children. So, the basis of personality at an early age is "It." That is why the child is driven by primary emotions, desires and biological needs. This explains the fact that babies 5-6 years of age, as a rule, are capricious and selfish. And only with time does the child learn from parents what is considered correct in life and what is not. Thanks to this, he is forming a system of values and rules of behavior. Becoming a schoolboy, the child begins to interact with other people. He learns to comply with the legal, moral and religious norms that operate in society. Thus, the formation of the “Super-I” takes place. It is a consequence of the influence of parents, as well as society.
The three areas of the human psyche - "I", "It" and "Super-I" - are among themselves in a state of constant interaction. At the same time, the conscious and the unconscious are waging a tense struggle with each other. Its results determine the functioning of the individual’s mental life in the form of human actions and mental acts. According to Freud, the system of the unconscious serves as an extremely important and especially necessary element. It is the main source of energy of the individual and his psychic powers.
Element interaction
If the area of the unconscious is guided by the principle of pleasure, then the principle of reality is seen in the "I". The task of the latter is to correlate the desires and motives of a person with the prevailing situation and with the requirements of the environment.
Sigmund Freud “I” and “It” figuratively compares with the relationship that exists between the rider and his horse. The first rules the animal. However, their strengths are incommensurable. That is why the rider sometimes has to obey the horse when it is excited.
The forces of “I” and “It” are also incommensurable. The ego is the thin shell of the id. At the same time, “It” is an element in which forces operate whose purpose is aggression and pleasure. That is why the unconscious plays a greater role in the structure of the psyche than the "I".
According to Freud, “It” is responsible for communication with the real conditions prevailing in the outside world. And above all, this element seeks to restrain the desire to receive immediate pleasure, as well as curb aggression.
“It” is more responsible for our behavior than “I”, and is able to circumvent its censorship by disguising genuine goals.
However, one should not underestimate the significance of the human ego. It represents the rationality and intelligence of the individual, which are able to provide him with a certain place in the system of living matter.
Energy comes from "It," and then is reflected in the "I". The task of the “Super-I” is to determine the boundaries within which these forces will act.
Freud drew attention to the fact that the requirements imposed by external reality may well differ from the requirements of “It” and “Super-I”. Such a contradiction leads to the development of internal conflicts. To resolve them, you can apply the following methods:
- Dreams
- compensation;
- sublimation;
- protective mechanisms.
In turn, “I” is constantly influenced by “It” and “Super-I”. Excessive pressure of any of these elements can lead to negative consequences.
For example, it is interesting that when parents raise a child quite strictly, constantly punishing and making him feel guilty because of bad behavior, then gradually the pressure of “Super-I” comes to change the pressure of close people. Thus, the punishment of the outside world is replaced by the internal punishment. When such a person becomes an adult, he often experiences the pangs of conscience, while falling into depression. His "Super-I" becomes a real tyrant. Under the pressure of this structural element of the psyche, a person blames himself not only for past deeds, unworthy from his point of view, but also for negative thoughts. According to the theory of psychoanalysis, reproaches of conscience and guilt of such a person, as a rule, are caused not at all by an objective assessment of actions. The dominant position in this matter is held by the firmly formed idea that the individual is guilty and deserves punishment.
In the case when “It” has the greatest impact on a person, ignoring public values, violating the rules, and not taking into account the feelings of other people.
That is why the imbalance between the "I", "It" and "Super-I" can bring personality suffering, as well as cause neurosis and mental disorders.