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Figure 11.9 Ego, Id, and Superego in Interaction
Freud believed that psychological disorders, and particularly the experience of anxiety, occur
when there is conflict or imbalance among the motivations of the id, ego, and superego. When
the ego finds that the id is pressing too hard for immediate pleasure, it attempts to correct for this
problem, often through the use of defense mechanisms—unconscious psychological strategies
used to cope with anxiety and to maintain a positive self-image. Freud believed that the defense
mechanisms were essential for effective coping with everyday life, but that any of them could be
overused (Table 11.4 "The Major Freudian Defense Mechanisms").