In his essay The Ego and the Id, Freud (1986:67) presents the id as follows: an individual is looked upon as a psychical id, unknown and unconscious. The id attracts all kinds of instinctual forces in order to find their mental representation. The instincts in the id press for immediate satisfaction, regardless of all else, and in this way either fail of achievement or actually do damage. From the point of view of instinctual control, of morality, it may be said of the id that it is totally non-moral.
The ego is a rational part of the system, which concerns the real world and observes the reality-principle. According to Freud, the ego is that part of the id which has been modified by the direct influence of the external world. It seeks to bring the influence of the external world to bear upon the id and its tendencies, and endeavors to substitute the reality principle for the pleasure principle which reigns unrestrictedly in the id. It strives to be moral, represent what may be called reason and common sense, in contrast to the id, which contains the passions (Net.1).
In a sense, the ego can be considered to be the part of the id that is modified by continuous relation to the outside world. As a separated part of the id, the ego plays a role as a mediating agent between the inner desires and the outer principles. On the one hand, it tries its best to satisfy the instinctual needs in the name of the id, and on the other hand, it learns about the outside world, taking other contradicting forces into account in order to avoid clashes and pursue continuable gratification of the needs.
Superego is the moral part of personality and develops according to the moral restraints placed on individuals by their caregivers, and the internalization of those moral absolutes also contributes to the development of Superego. The superego observes the morality principle. It is in direct opposition to the id. Superego concerns the social values and taboos that we internalize and experience as our sense of right and wrong. The superego is the embodiment of parental and social values. It stores rules and, with its ability to create anxiety, enforces rules. It constantly strives for perfection, even though this perfection ideal may be too far from reality to be fulfilled (see Freud, 1986:95). To sum up, the superego displays itself through punishment. If it was permitted to operate according to its own pleasures, the superego will produce an unconscious feeling of pain and fear. It stands in clear opposition to id. It aims at criticizing and forbidding id’s desires, senses, and activities (Net.1).
In short, Id symbolizes the dark amoral and self-centered side of personality; Superego symbolizes the bright moral and ideal side of personality. The Id demands self-gratification, whereas the Superego asks for self-devotion. Ego, as the conciliator, tries to make a balance between the two sides. Id, ego, and superego interact upon each other to produce all the complicated human behaviors. The three components need to be well-balanced to keep a whole and wholesome personality.
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