Id, Ego, and Superego - Understanding Freud's Theory

Id, Ego, and Superego: Understanding
Freud’s Theory
Theories, Personality
The id, ego, and superego are the three components of personality described by
Sigmund Freud. The id strives to meet basic urges, the ego deals with the demands
of reality, and the superego seeks to impose morality. According to Freud, the
interaction of these three parts of the personality influences how people think and
behave.
The id drives our needs and desires, and the superego strives for morality and
perfection. The ego is the mediator between the two that tries to fulfill the needs of
the id and the superego while accounting for the demands of reality.
To understand Freud’s theory, it is essential to understand how he described each of

these components of personality. This article describes Freud’s theory of the id, ego,
and superego and explores how these three aspects of personality interact.
Read more: What Is Personality Psychology
Table of Contents
What Is the Id?
Freud believed that the id was the most basic and primal component of personality. It
is the only part of the personality that is present at birth.
The id controls all of a person’s instinctual behaviors. Since the id is primitive
and instinctual, it operates on an unconscious level.
Freud suggested the mind was much like an iceberg. The part you can see above the surface is the conscious mind, while the
much larger part of the ice below the surface represents the unconscious, which is where the id can be found.
Also, it is guided by what Freud referred to as the pleasure principle. The pleasure
principle works to pursue the immediate gratification of any need or desire that a
person has. For example, feelings of hunger produce an immediate desire for food.
When these needs are not met, people may experience feelings of anxiety, tension, or
unease.
However, not every need or want a person experiences can be satisfied immediately.
If you were to try to satisfy an urge at the wrong time in the wrong setting, you might
find yourself behaving in ways that are inappropriate or socially unacceptable. So,
something needs to help moderate the primitive demands of the id, which is where
the next part of personality comes in: the ego.
What Is the Ego?

Freud described the ego as a part of personality that allows the id’s desires to be
expressed realistically and acceptably. The ego develops from the id but has been
modified by the influence of the real world.
It operates on what Freud described as the reality principle. Where the id’s demands
are unconscious, unrealistic, or unacceptable, the ego’s goal is to fulfill those desires
in a way that accounts for reality. This means assessing the situation and weighing
the pros and cons of taking action.
Freud compared the relationship of the ego and id to that of a rider and horse.
The horse is the powerful force that propels the two forward, but the rider
controls the direction and course that they follow.
Sometimes, this might mean waiting to fulfill a need until you are in the right time
and place, a process known as delayed gratification. For example, if you are tired, the
ego would keep you from taking a nap until you are home in a bed instead of drifting
off in the middle of the work day.
What Is the Superego?

The superego is part of personality that strives for moral behavior. It is made up of all
the internalized beliefs, values, and morals that people learn from their parents and
their society. It is the last component of personality to form and usually begins to
emerge sometime between the ages of three and five.
The superego plays a vital role in decision-making and judgments.
Freud suggested that the superego is made up of two components:
The conscience: This part of the superego is concerned with things considered
bad, inappropriate, or immoral. Doing things that go against the conscience can
trigger negative consequences, such as being punished or experiencing a sense of
guilt.
The ego ideal: This is the idealized self that an individual aspires to. In other
words, it is what we believe we should be doing, how we feel we should behave,
and how we think we should treat others.
The goal of the superego is to suppress the primitive urges of the id. If the
superego had its way, you would live up to the high idealistic standards
without ever giving into the urges and demands of the primal id.
How the Id, Ego, and Superego Interact

The id, ego, and superego don’t function separately and independently. Instead, they
overlap and interact in various ways to influence how people think, feel, and behave.
These forces are dynamic and always shifting. Sometimes the demands of the id
might take precedence. In other cases, it might be the superego that takes the lead.
In every situation, the ego serves as the mediator trying to strike a balance between
the demands of the id, the superego, and reality.
Ego strength is what Freud called the ego’s ability to manage these competing forces
effectively. Having poor ego strength means that you might give in to your impulses

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Id, Ego, and Superego: Understanding

To understand Freud’s theory, it is essential to understand how he described each of

Read more: What Is Personality Psychology

What Is the Id?

What Is the Ego?

What Is the Superego?

The superego plays a vital role in decision-making and judgments.

Freud suggested that the superego is made up of two components:

How the Id, Ego, and Superego Interact

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