Learning Objectives
- Define the components of psychic structures
- Describe how the different defenses are used to manage internal conflict
Psychic Structures
Psychic structures are based on Freudian theory.
The id controls primitive instincts and drives (what we want to do):
- Present at birth
- Influences sex and aggression
The ego tries to “accommodate” reality:
- Rational
- Resolves conflicts between id and superego (tries to find ways that will benefit in the long-term rather than bring grief through impulsive id decisions)
The superego determines our conscience or moral compass (what we ought to do):
- Begins development by age 5
- Learned from caretakers
- Insists on socially acceptable behavior, sometimes to the point of individual deprivation
- Can be punitive