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Id, Ego, and Superego
Freud proposed that the mind is divided into three components: id, ego, andsuperego, and that
the interactions and conflicts among the components create personality (Freud,
1923/1943). [3] According to Freudian theory, the id is the component of personality that forms
the basis of our most primitive impulses. The id is entirely unconscious, and it drives our most
important motivations, including the sexual drive (libido) and the aggressive or destructive drive
(Thanatos). According to Freud, the id is driven by the pleasure principle—the desire for
immediate gratification of our sexual and aggressive urges. The id is why we smoke cigarettes,
drink alcohol, view pornography, tell mean jokes about people, and engage in other fun or
harmful behaviors, often at the cost of doing more productive activities.
In stark contrast to the id, the superego represents our sense of morality and oughts. The
superego tell us all the things that we shouldn’t do, or the duties and obligations of society. The
superego strives for perfection, and when we fail to live up to its demands we feel guilty.
In contrast to the id, which is about the pleasure principle, the function of theego is based on
the reality principle—the idea that we must delay gratification of our basic motivations until the
appropriate time with the appropriate outlet. The ego is the largely conscious controller or
decision-maker of personality. The ego serves as the intermediary between the desires of the id
and the constraints of society contained in the superego (Figure 11.9 "Ego, Id, and Superego in
Interaction"). We may wish to scream, yell, or hit, and yet our ego normally tells us to wait,
reflect, and choose a more appropriate response.