THE WAR WITHIN US: ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO

THE WAR WITHIN US: ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO

Sigmund Freud developed the Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality to understand human behavior, thought processes and personality. In this theory, Freud gathered personality under the name of three basic components: Id, Ego and Superego.

The complexities lurking in the depths of the human mind are one of psychology's most fascinating and elusive subjects. Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory provides a framework that helps us unlock the keys to this inner world. Freud considers personality as three basic components: Id, Ego, and Superego. These three concepts are the cornerstones of human behavior and are at the center of a constant process of conflict and balancing deep within our mental processes.

ID

Id is the most primitive and basic impulse of humans. Id is present from the moment we are born, that is, it is innate. The Id represents one's search for instant gratification and is not concerned with things like logic, morals, rules, or social norms. The id's desires are usually related to basic needs such as hunger, sexual desires, and aggression. Id acts like a little kid and tries to get what he wants right away. The id symbolizes the devil on a person's left shoulder.

EGO

The ego is a component that seeks to satisfy the instinctive impulses raised by one's Id in acceptable and appropriate ways. The ego tries to fulfill the demands of the id within the framework of reality, and logic, within the boundaries of the real world. That is, the ego makes the id's requests feasible and tries to keep the id under control. The ego has to satisfy not only the id's wishes but also the superego. The ego tries to reconcile the wishes of the id and superego and to find a logical middle ground. That is, the ego tries to balance the id and superego. The ego represents a middle-class person with the superego on the right shoulder and the id on the left.

SUPEREGO

The superego is an afterthought. The superego is formed within the framework of family teachings, ethical rules and social norms. The superego can be called, in short, our 'conscience'. Like an internal judge, he checks the decisions we make, whether they are right or wrong. In fact, the superego controls the ego's decisions. When the ego makes a decision, it looks at its compliance with ethics, morals, laws and social norms. The superego is the controller of the ego. The superego is symbolized by the angel on a person's right shoulder.

Let's give an example to be more descriptive; For example, let's think of someone who is very hungry and this person lacks our most basic need of food, where id comes in and wants to eat something immediately and wants to take the sandwich that he saw in someone else's hand, but he can't buy it because ego stops the id and rationally takes something he has. He wants her to eat and prevents him from stealing. In this situation, the superego is satisfied because the ego makes a decision according to the laws and social norms.

Finally, Id, Ego and Superego help us understand the complexity of human behavior and thought processes. These three components cause a war within us. According to Freud, personality is the result of a continuous process of conflict and balancing between these three components. The struggle between the id's desire for instant gratification and the control mechanisms of the ego and superego shapes personality development. Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality helps us better understand the psychological processes underlying human behavior and provides an important theoretical framework in psychology.