Benefits
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Limits
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Id |
Ego |
Superego |
Often characterized as the "primal instinct," the id is completely unconscious and just one of three parts of Freud's structural theory (part of psychoanalytic theory). It is the "I want that now" part of the brain. It drives us to take what we want with no regard for repercussion or others' wellbeing. For example, if one was to walk by a store and see an decorative cake in the window, the id would desire to break through said window and take the cake. This behaviour is not morally sound and so, the id must be put in check by its counterpart, the superego.
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At the center of this balancing act is the ego, a partially conscious, partially unconscious portion of the human mind. It sees things in the context of reality and seeks to quench the thirst of the id, while keeping the superego happy. Instead of stealing a cake or completely ignoring it, the ego would compromise by buying a cake. Though it may prolong the frustration of the id, the sacrificed feelings would be gratified when the cake is obtained at a later time.
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The superego is essentially the polar opposite to the id - it is ones "moral compass" that keeps him from breaking social/moral rules. It develops at a very young age when a person attains an understanding for their culture and what is "right and wrong." Staying with the 'cake in the window' scenario, the superego would not wish to steal the cake - the stronger force (id or superego) would win this internal conflict. If the id won the argument and the cake was stolen, the superego would still play its part by causing said person to feel remorse for their wrong actions. Although, things are not as simple as 'id or superego' and a third force is required to satisfy the urges of both - the ego.
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Sigmund Freud
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Melanie Klein
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Karen Horney
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