Psychology and Sociology: Psychoanalytic Perspective on Personality

Question 1

Freud’s 3 Major entities of personality

Answer 1

Id, ego, and superego

Question 2

Id

Answer 2

-Consists of all the basic, primal, inborn urges to survive and reproduce
-Functions according to the pleasure principle, in which the aim is to achieve immediate gratification to relieve any pent-up tension
-The primary process is the id’s response to frustration based on the pleasure principle: obtain satisfaction now, not later
-Wish fulfillment: mental imagery, such as daydreaming or fantasy, that fulfills this need for satisfaction

Question 3

Ego

Answer 3

-Operates according to the reality principle, taking into account objective reality as it guides or inhibits the activity of the id and the id’s pleasure principle
-The aim of the reality principle is to postpone the pleasure principle until satisfaction can actually be obtained
-The ego is responsible for moderating the desires of the superego; whereas the id’s desires are basic needs, those of the superego are refined and focused on the ideal self

Question 4

Superego

Answer 4

-The personality’s perfectionist, judging our actions and responding with pride at our accomplishments and guilt at our failures
-Can be divided into two subsystems, both of which are a reflection of the morals taught to a child by his caregivers
-Conscience: a collection of the improper actions for which a child is punished
-Ego-ideal: consists of those proper actions for which a child is rewarded

Question 5

3 Main categories to access id, ego, and superego

Answer 5

-Thoughts to which we have conscious access
-Preconscious: thoughts that we aren’t currently aware of
-Unconscious: thoughts that have been repressed

Question 6

Instinct

Answer 6

an innate psychological representation of a biological need

Question 7

Defense Mechanism’s

Answer 7

-the ego’s recourse for relieving anxiety caused by the clash of the id and superego
-All defense mechanisms deny, falsify, or distort reality; all defense mechanisms operate unconsciously

Question 8

7 Main Defense Mechanisms

Answer 8

Repression, regression, reaction formation, projection, rationalization, displacement, sublimation

Question 9

Repression

Answer 9

-The ego’s way of forcing undesired thoughts and urges to the unconscious and underlies many of the other defense mechanisms
-Aim is to disguise threatening impulses that may find their way back from the unconscious
-Repression is mostly unconscious forgetting
-Suppression is a more deliberate, conscious form of forgetting

Question 10

Regression

Answer 10

Reversion to an earlier developmental state

Question 11

Reaction formation

Answer 11

Occurs when an individual suppresses urges by unconsciously converting these urges into the exact opposites

Question 12

Projection

Answer 12

Individuals attribute their undesired feelings to others

Question 13

Rationalization

Answer 13

Justification of behaviors in a manner that is acceptable to the self and society

Question 14

Displacement

Answer 14

Describes the transference of an undesired urge from one person or object to another

Question 15

Sublimation

Answer 15

The transformation of unacceptable urges into socially acceptable behaviors