id, ego, superego

Id

A reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that constantly strives to satisfy basic drives to survive, reproduce, and aggress. Id operates on the pleasure principle.

Pleasure principle

in constrained by reality, it seeks immediate gratification., (psychoanalysis) the governing principle of the id. tries to maximize pleasure and minimizes pain, does not think of others needs.

Immediate gratification

expectation that our needs must be met right now. "Patience is a virtue"

Ego

young child learns to cope with the real world. (conscious mind )operates on the reality principle

Reality principle

seeks to gratify the id's impulses in realistic ways that will bring them long term pleasure rather than pain or destruction

Superego

a voice of conscience that forces the ego to consider not only the real but the ideal. its sole focus is on how one ought to behave. develops as we internalize the morals and values of parents and culture, what is right and wrong. strives for perfection, judges our actions which produce pride or guilt.

Defense mechanisms

coping mechanisms to reduce anxiety on ego

Repression

the classical defense mechanism that protects you from impulses or ideas that would cause anxiety by preventing them from becoming conscious

Regression

Retreating to an earlier, more infantile stage of development where some of our psychic energies still fixate. EX: when a child is facing the anxious first days of schools, might regress to the oral comfort of thumb sucking.

Reaction formation

the ego unconsciously makes unacceptable impulses look like their opposites. the unacceptable proposition "I hate him" becomes "I love him" Timidity becomes daring

Projection

Disguises threatening impulses by attributing them to others. Thus, "He hates me" may be a projection of the actual feeling "I hate him" or "I hate myself"

Rationalization

Lets us unconsciously generate self justifying explanations so we can hide from ourselves the real reasons for our actions. Habitual drinkers may say they drink with their friends to be sociable.

Displacement

Diverts one's sexual or aggressive impulses toward an object more psychologically acceptable than the one that aroused them. Children who can't express anger against their parents may displace their anger on the pet.

Sublimation

(psychology) modifying the natural expression of an impulse or instinct (especially a sexual one) to one that is socially acceptable. Freud suggested that leonardo pic of madonnas was his longing intimacy for his mother who was separated from him at young age.