psychological & social view of conscience (secular)

Question 1

FREUD

Answer 1

• suggested development determined by childhood events which may have been repressed

Question 2

FREUD
conscience

Answer 2

• said conscience derives from mind
• discusses three elements: ID, Super-ego, Ego
• ID - unconscious, instinctive, immediate gratification, selfish
• Super-Ego - unconscious, iner judge, tells difference between right/wrong, where conscience is
• Ego - rational self mediating between other two, conscious, reality principle

Question 3

FREUD
super-ego

Answer 3

• develops morality
• acts as inner parent
• due to it being place where parent’s moral commands from infancy are stored
• conscience is aspect of the operation of superego

Question 4

FREUD
what is internalised

Answer 4

• rules and regulations given from authority figures, guilt arises if we try to escape them
• conscience is therefor a repository of our parents’ commands to us during childhood

Question 5

FREUD
key views on conscience

Answer 5

• if conscience is an expression of our unconscious application of rules that we have been given in our early childhood then certainly doesn’t provide some alternative source of moral authority as no more than expression of wishes of one’s parents
• cannot be seen as voice of God or expression as nothing more than left over expression of our childhood training