Id, Ego, and Superego
Human Behavior Between: Instinct, Reality and Morality.
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One of the most revolutionary theories in the 20th century was the theory of personality. Introduced by Sigmund Freud, the theory describes the human psyche as three separate but interacting parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. The three parts develop at different times and play different roles in personality, but work together to form a whole and contribute to an individuals’ behavior.
The earliest part of the personality to emerge is the Id, and it is the only component that is present from birth. The id is driven by the “Pleasure Principle”, which strives for immediate gratification of all desires, wants, and needs. If the id’s needs aren’t satisfied, it results in tension or anxiety. All the id’s needs must be satisfied at least temporarily through fantasizing about what the individual wants, in case the desire can’t be fulfilled right away.
It is very important in early life because it ensures the infants’ needs are met. When an infant is, for example, hungry, he/she will cry until the desire of the id is fulfilled. Imagine having to convince a baby to have a meal. However, not all of the desires are immediately satisfiable, and sometimes, even if they are immediately satisfiable, an individual can become very selfish; they may find themselves grabbing the things they crave from others’ hands. In that case, the id tries to solve the problem created by the pleasure principle through “Primary Process Thinking”. The ego and the superego develop to keep the id in check.
The ego develops from the id and ensures that the impulses of the id can be expressed in a manner that suits the real world. The ego is driven by the “Reality Principle”, which ensures that the id’s desires are fulfilled in a realistic and socially acceptable way. The ego weighs the costs and benefits of an action before deciding to act upon or abandon impulses. The ego may do so through what’s called “Delayed Gratification”, which means that the ego will allow the behavior but only in the right time and place. Freud describes the ego and the id as a horse and a rider. The rider provides the directions for the horse, and if the horse were left without a rider it may just wander around and do whatever it pleased.
Emerging at the age of three to five, the last component of the personality is the Superego. Superego is the moral compass of the personality upholding the sense of right and wrong. These moral values are initially learned by one’s parents. However, the superego continues to grow over time and adopts values from other people that the children might admire, like teachers. The superego aims to civilize our behavior and regulate our actions. It struggles to make the ego act upon idealistic standards rather than upon realistic principles.
The superego has two parts:
When talking about ego, id, and superego, we should remember that those are not three entities. These are aspects that are dynamic and always interacting. The ego should satisfy the id's desires while also upholding the social norms and rules of the superego. A healthy personality is a result of the balance between the id, the ego, and the superego.
A person whose id is dominant can become impulsive, uncontrollable, and even criminal. They would have no regard for the social reality. If the superego dominates, the person can become rigidly moralistic, negatively judging anyone who does not meet their standards. If the ego becomes dominant, it can lead to an individual who is so tied to the rules and norms of society that they become inflexible, unable to deal with change, and incapable of coming to a personal concept of right and wrong.
