The Freudian conception of the psyche sees it divided into three distinct parts, which interact dynamically and determine one’s external action. These three parts, the Id, Ego, and Superego, represent constant mediation between internal struggle. The following will act as an explanation of both the three distinct subsects of the psyche and also how their interactions determine action.
The Id exists from birth, and represents our most primal desires. Operating off of the pleasure principle, the Id seeks the immediate satisfaction of its desires. The Id operates outside of rationality for this reason, as it disregards the real-world, external consequences of acting on its desires. On the contrary, the Superego acts as a sort of moral agent within the psyche, existing as one’s ideal perception of themself. Unlike the Id, the Superego is not present from birth, but is formed later in life via the internalization of societal and parental standards of behavior. The Superego exists in two parts, the Ideal Self and the Conscience, with the former being one’s ideal conception of themself and their actions and the latter inflicting guilt when one acts in a particularly unideal way. Simply then, the Id is how we WISH to act in a given moment and the Superego is how we OUGHT to according to our view of the ideal person. This by nature places these two forces in opposition, as one cannot possibly act on their immediate desires while simultaneously adhering to their ideal standards of behavior in all circumstances. As a result of this conflict, a “mediator” of sorts is necessary in ensuring the mutual satisfaction of these parts.
From this necessity arises the Ego, which operates as a mediator between the Id’s desire and the outside world by formulating its action based on the societal rules and guidelines set forth by the Superego. It’s goal is simply to act rationally and find some semblance of balance between the Id and Superego by formulating decisions and actions that will both satisfy the Id’s desires (although not immediately) and satisfy the conscience, preventing the infliction of anxiety in the case of the Id, and guilt in the case of the Superego. In doing this the Ego operates under what Freud calls the Reality Principle, or the recognition of reality and its demands, by mediating and not acting, on one hand, too irrationally, or on the other, too idealistically. Through this process the Ego seeks to satisfy the Id’s desire in a way that is acceptable in the real world, often utilizing delayed gratification in order to ensure our actions take place in an appropriate manner. These parts therefore, are not static, and interact dynamically according to the situation to determine the most realistic course of satisfaction of our desires, forming the psyche.
