SIGMUND FREUD & THE MIND

THE BRAIN VS. THE MIND

BRAIN:BRAIN: Is what is physically inside theskull , and its study consists of functions of its various structures.

MIND: MIND: Refers to the mental processes, and its study is an attempt to understand the conscious and the conscious.

THE BRAIN VS. THE MIND

Psychologists attempt to understand the brain and the mind in order to understand human

behaviour.

SIGMUND FREUD

Was an Austrian psychiatrist who was known as the “Father of Psychoanalysis”.

As a result of working with patients he believed that many of our neurosis could be attributed to conflicts we have experienced in our past.

CONSCIOUS MIND conscious mind is

what you are aware of at any particular moment, your present perceptions, memories, thoughts, fantasies, and feelings

anything that can easily

be made conscious, the memories you are not at the moment thinking about but can readily bring to mind

PRECONSCIOUS/SUBCONSCIOUS

Largest part of the mind It includes all the things that are not easily available to

awareness our drives or instincts, and things that are put there because we

can't bear to look at them, such as the memories and emotions associated with trauma

of our motivations, whether they be simple desires for food or sex, neurotic compulsions, or the motives of an artist or scientist

we are sometimes driven to deny or resist becoming conscious of these motives, and they are often available to us only in disguised form

Many artists find inspiration for their

artwork through their subconscious

STRUCTURE OF THE FREUDIAN PERSONALITY

Ψ Freud assumed that the mind is divided into 3 parts: Id, Ego and Superego

FREUD AND THE “MIND”

Freud believed that these conflicts are stored in our “unconscious minds” – conceptual idea of brain.

He believed 3 levels to the mind: EGO –conscious and

rational. ID- unconscious and

instinctive part mind. SUPEREGO – conscience.

ID

Primary Instinctive and present

at birth

Primitive Consists of basic drives-

Pleasure Principle GRATIFY ME NOW!

ID

Wants gratification now…….. but it cannot reason, plan,

anticipate consequences or grasp reality or actually DO anything except stimulate reflexes

&fantasies So, drives remain unfulfilled

Creates tension Libido Psychic Energy

VIDEOVIDEO

EGO The EgoEgo is the conscious, rational part of

the mind which develops during the first 2yrs of life.

It is the part that perceives reality, anticipates consequences, decides what to do, directs action

To the extent the ego reduces the ID‘s frustrations

The energy generated by ID The energy generated by ID frustrations becomes frustrations becomes boundbound or or channeled channeled into ego functionsinto ego functions

EGO

The Ego gratifies the ID but via the Reality Principle: WAIT for safe, realistic, appropriate time, place, & object

The Reality Principle & the Pleasure Principle are in perpetual conflict

Ego must work to prevent unsafe, unrealistic, inappropriate expressions of ID drives

EGO DEVELOPS IN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF LIFE

SUPEREGO

Moral and judicial branch Internalizes Parental &

Societal ValuesEnables self (verse

external )control 2 Componentsi. - Ego-ideal represents that

which is morally good (e.g.) Smile and you’ll be happy

ii. Conscience: represents that which is morally bad (e.g.) Don’t frown or you’ll be sad

The superego is meant to put the id “in check”.

The superego develops at the age of 5.

STRUCTURAL MODEL

• IDØ Now!

• EGOØ Later.Ø Maybe.Ø Depends.

• SUPEREGOØ Never!

THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO

FREUD AND PSYCHOANALYSIS

Freud believed that people’s problems occurred in the “ego and superego” – unconscious part of the mind.

He developed a technique “psychoanalysis” to access these parts of the mind. “Free Association” – people were hypnotized and

were asked to respond to random words. Dream analysis – he would analyze dreams and

interpret their hidden meanings.

CONFLICTS AMONG THE ID ,EGO AND SUPEREGO

Ψ As the Id demands instant gratification, there is conflict with the Superego’s sense of right and wrong.

ΨΨ Therefore, the Ego must step in to be the referee between the two to restore them to reality.

ΨΨ This causes much anxiety and the This causes much anxiety and the EgoEgo defends itself against this defends itself against this

by using by using DEFENCE MECHANISMS DEFENCE MECHANISMS which reduce the anxietywhich reduce the anxiety..Defense mechanisms (DF) – when there is a conflict with the EGO and ID/SUPEREGO, patients develop DF’s (hysteria, anxiety, denial etc).

DEFENCE MECHANISMSΨ Repression: Keep threats out of consciousness.

ΨΨ Displacement: Move target of emotions e.g. aggression Displacement: Move target of emotions e.g. aggression to someone/something else.to someone/something else.

ΨΨ Projection: Attribute undesirable characteristics to Projection: Attribute undesirable characteristics to someone else..”it’s not me it’s you”.someone else..”it’s not me it’s you”.

ΨΨ Denial: Refuse to accept the reality of an event. Denial: Refuse to accept the reality of an event.

ΨΨ Intellectualisation: Remove emotions from a Intellectualisation: Remove emotions from a threatening event.threatening event.

ΨΨ Examples? Examples?

DEFENSE MECHANISM & THE SIMPSONS Conflict between ID and Superego causes

the Ego to defend itself. Here is an example from the Simpsons . Homer is going mad because he was not able

to gratify his IDs urges for alcohol and TV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yGJGTjV2WE

ID, EGO, SUPEREGO ROLE PLAY

I need 3 volunteers to act out a scene demonstrating how the ID, EGO, AND SUPERGO function.