THE CONSCIOUS VS. THE SUBCONSCIOUS
One of Freud's initial theories on the levels of consciousness was that there were merely two states: the conscious
and the unconscious. He emphasized the importance of those mental processes which took place in the
unconscious, as being responsible for many aspects of human behavior; for instance, a man might think
CONSCIOUSLY that his bumping into a woman was purely accidental in nature, but actually it may have actually
been a manifestation of his UNCONSCIOUS sexual desire for her, as he managed to invade her intimate space
and has brought his body into a sort of forceful contact with hers (perhaps an act symbolic of sexual intercourse).
Freud came to find this "black or white" definition of consciousness to be unsuitable, however, and redefined his
theory on consciousness, incorporating a third level: the pre-conscious. The conscious level of mental activity is
the level on which all thought processes occur. What one thinks, conceptualizes, or understands takes place on this
level of activity. The pre-conscious is where information is stored away, but is easily obtainable. Fond memories
and the knowledge of how to perform day-to-day activities are examples of information stored at this level. The
unconscious is where memories and information are stored which cannot be accessed readily. Most of a person's
past history is stored on this level of consciousness, as well as those thoughts and memories which have been put
out of mind in order to preserve a person's mental stability and/or to prevent pain (repressed).
Perhaps the best way to illustrate these three levels of consciousness, and the way in which they function, is to
compare it to computer technology - the way in which Windows 95 operates, for example. The conscious would be
the page which is maximized on the screen: It's the page on which all the information you are currently processing
is, and is very visible as it takes up most of the screen. The pre-conscious is the pages which are minimized: The
pages contain information which you may well need to refer back to from time to time, and can easily be maximized
(brought into the main screen, or the conscious) by clicking on them. The unconscious is that information which is
not currently in use, but stored in the background on the hard drive: The majority of the information on your
computer lies here, and all of it is very important, but to access it you must search through your computer for it and
activate it, which is far more difficult a task than merely clicking a button on the bottom of the screen, and an
activity in which you will not engage unless it is an absolute necessity to access that information. Everything you
do on your computer will most likely end up in the hard drive, and your programs are probably interacting with the
information in the hard drive constantly, though you may not see evidence of it on the screen.
ID, EGO, AND SUPEREGO
Freud also noticed the many conflicts within thought and mental processes, and the seeming battle between levels
of consciousness led him to define these forces. He identified three distinct forces, which he referred to as the id,
ego, and superego.
Freud defined the id as the drive within us to bring ourselves pleasure (the pleasure principle). The id is concerned
with satiating all basic urges from thirst and hunger to sexual desire, and is determined to attain satisfaction at any
cost. People act on the id alone when first born, and as time progresses, they learn to suppress these desires in the
interest of conventionality; they realize that a person cannot merely have whatever he/she wants whenever he/she
wants it, and that the individual must act in accordance with society. A person who is very spontaneous, hedonistic,
or self-centered may be a product of their id, and the inability/unwillingness to repress or suppress it. The desires
of the id are often placed in the subconscious, and can manifest in dreams in order to bring about wish fulfillment,
so that the individual is not psychologically damaged by the constant suppression of these thoughts and the inability
to relieve the tension that causes.
The ego is what brings about one's understanding that one is a part of a society, and cannot always satisfy the
urges of the id. The ego does not necessarily ignore the id, but rather governs and controls it. It often devises a
plan to obtain that which the id desires; for example, responding to hunger by waiting until lunch-time and going to
the store to buy a sandwich, the ego has satisfied the will of the id, but done so in a controlled manner, rather than
ravenously seeking out food when hunger is first sensed. The ego is often seen as being responsible for practical
and rational decision making.
The superego governs over all of these, and is often seen as the conscience. The superego is concerned with the
long-term ramifications of actions, adherence to what is "right and wrong," and producing pride or guilt as a result
of one's actions. The superego is often more a product of society than the individual, as society dictates what is
acceptable and unacceptable behavior; it often tends to direct the individual to act in a way which is viewed as
positive by society, even if at the expense of personal satisfaction.
It is clear that the mind is very rarely dominated by merely one of these forces, due to the fact that by nature they
often conflict; one can see that the need to provide satisfaction with disregard for society (the id) is a polar opposite
of the need to satisfy the will of society with disregard for the individual (the superego). The purpose of these
different forces would seem to be providing a "check and balance" system for the mind, and insuring mental
stability and personal wellbeing.
Oedipal Complex
Freud's theory of the Oedipal Complex takes its name from the title character of Sophecles' Oedipus. In this
legendary Greek drama, Oedipus comes to kill his father and marry his mother. Freud theorizes that inherent in
every newborn child is the urge to engage in sexual acts with the parent of the opposite sex, and kill the parent of
the same sex. Actually, his theory seemed more to imply that this applied to males rather than females, and that
the mother was desired and the father envied. It is now acknowledged that females can be effected in the same
way, and this is referred to as the Electra Complex.
The reasoning for the incestual attraction is most likely due to proximity: As the child first develops a sense of
sexuality, at the early age of three, the parents are two of the few within the child's social circle. It could be
assumed that a child would develop a similar complex if raised by and aunt and uncle, or was adopted.
Nevertheless, the sexual desire develops for the opposite sex parent, as probably for the reason above, and
hostility develops for the same sex parent due to the fact that this individual stands in the way of fulfillment of this
desire, and takes attention away from the child. Jealousy, therefore, is the reason behind this hostility.
The Oedipus/Electra complex is the foundation for many of Freud's theories. He argued that every child was faced
with the task of mastering the id's urges for the incestual relations of the Oedipal Complex, and that a failure to
master the tendencies resulted in a basis for neurosis. However, one must wonder if it is at all possible to actually
come to a mastery of the Complex, or a resolution of the conflicts it creates. Often times, it would seem that the
urges are never completely overcome, and rather are merely repressed.
Many situations may arise which bring the Oedipal urges rushing to the surface. For instance, when parents
divorce, an opportunity suddenly arises for the child to satisfy the desires, as there is no longer a bond between the
parents which locks the child out. Similarly, the death of a parent creates an opening as well, and perhaps this is
magnified by the emotional tenderness of the parent. A parent pursuing a relationship after divorce or death can
bring about these urges again, with magnified anger and anxiety, because the child once again witnesses the chance
to fulfill the urge being stolen away.
STAGES OF PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT
Freud theorized that the human personality developed in stages based upon the ability to experience sexual
pleasure, and the way in which sexuality played a role in the individual's life. Freud's theory on the psychosexual
development of the child stated that sexuality first arose in the form of erogenous zones, meaning that the pleasure
from a particular part of the body being stimulated was the most dominant source of sexual arousal. Sexuality was
always a central theme in much of Freud's work, and his emphasis on the sexuality of the young child became
highly evident in his theory of the Oedipal Complex. This was, in his era, a taboo within a taboo, as childhood was
viewed as a time of innocence and not of lust and sexual desire. However, much of his theory remains accepted in
regards to this method of development.
ORAL STAGE
This is the shortest of the stages of psychosexual development, lasting only from birth until the age of one. The
pleasure of an infant is derived form stimulus of the mouth. Breastfeeding can be seen as a major factor in the
reasoning behind this, as a child's food and drink is delivered through the mother's breast, an acknowledged sexual
object. Regardless of whether the child is actually breastfed or not, however, it learns to appreciate the acts of
eating and drinking, as well as sucking and "gumming" or chewing. The infant's obsession with making gurgles
and noises can also be attributed to the logic of the Oral Stage. Food and drink gain a special symbolism in this
stage, as being representative of love. A failure to progress past this stage for the most part, results in an oral
fixation, a need to chew or use the mouth constantly (sometimes not being breastfed is linked to the failure to
progress past this stage, and the development of fixations). Demonstrations of oral fixations are smoking, chewing
pens and pencils and such, nailbiting, constant bubble gum chewing, and gregariousness. Overeating or drinking
may also be a sign of oral fixation, or an attempt to fill an emotional emptiness inside with love, symbolically.
ANAL STAGE
This stage lasts from the age of one to the age of three, and is related to the child attaining the ability to control its
urination and bowel movements. The child is instilled with the social values which come to govern the ego and
superego, and teach the child when and how excretion is acceptable. The child often takes much pride in this
ability, and can begin to feel a strong attachment to its stool, failing to see it as an inanimate object or an entity not
connected to the child in some way. Also, the child may begin to realize the power over parents who can be attained
through this ability, and demonstrates this control by refusing to perform these functions at all, or sometimes
excreting in inappropriate situations (e.g. in public). A failure to progress past the latter results in a fixation known
as anal expulsiveness, where the individual becomes excessively sloppy and non-conforming. A failure to progress
past the former results in a fixation known as anal retentiveness, in which the individual becomes obsessively clean
and orderly, and very conforming.
PHALLIC STAGE
This stage lasts from age three to age five. The focus of this stage is upon the realization of the genitals as an
erogenous zone. Masturbation and genital fondling arise in this stage, as well as the Oedipal/Electra Complex.
This stage of the Freud's theory is perhaps the most challenged, due to its extreme misogyny. As is evident in the
name of the stage, women are demeaned by Freud in this stage particularly, and his own misogynistic tendencies
become clear. He admitted an ignorance to much of the females' motivations, yet went on to postulate "penis
envy," which he said arose in this stage. Penis envy was said to be the female's realization that she, and other
women, did not possess a penis, and hence became envious of men and were scarred in a way from which they
never fully recovered. Men who fail to progress past this stage develop a fixation known as phallic character,
which is responsible for the formation of a narcissistic personality. Freud was unclear on women's possible
fixations resulting from this stage: It was implied that women never progressed past this stage fully and maintained
a sense of inferiority from this point on.
LATENCY STAGE
This stage lasts from the end of the phallic stage until puberty. Sexuality seems to almost die off at this point. It
lies dormant as the child experiences the many other aspects of life. Children learn to concentrate on school,
same-sex friendships, sports, etc…. Essentially the sexuality becomes secondary to permit the child to absorb as
much of the world as possible until the child becomes capable of reproduction, which is when the stage ends. Freud
seems not to have associated a fixation with this period, but it may be inferred that frigidity could stem from this
stage not being mastered.
GENITAL STAGE
This stage begins at puberty, and is assumed to last from this point on. It is the renewal of sexual interest, the
pursuit of relationships, and increased sensuality and desire. There are no fixations associated with this stage, as it
is the final stage and signifies a completion of development. It is the existence of past fixations which become
problematic in this stage, as the energy spent on these during the latency period mat have prevented the child from
acquiring the foundations for skills to maintain healthy relationships.
DEFENSE
MECHANI
The conflicts which exist between the id, ego, and superego undoubtedly result in some degree of anxiety or stress.
Without a mechanism of protection against this anxiety, it could present a threat to mental health and stability. To
deal with anxiety, the ego employs what are known as defense mechanisms. We often use these mechanisms
subconsciously in our lives, and it is normal and healthy to do so - to a degree. To use defense mechanisms in
excess is unhealthy not only due to the fact that they require "psychic energy," and can eventually become
stressful themselves, but excessive use of defense mechanisms may lead to hiding from issues and problems as
opposed to dealing with them (also a significant source of anxiety).
DENIAL
This is one of the most common defense mechanisms. Denial is the act of refusing to accept the realities of a
situation. This can often prove unhealthy when denial is not soon replaced by acceptance, because the longer the
gravity of a situation is ignored, the more serious it can become; for example, if one is in denial a disease's
diagnosis, the disease may become worsen as it goes untreated. Disease is perhaps the best example for this
defense mechanism, as the diagnosis of a disease is the most commonly denied reality, especially in cases where
the disease is fatal. In fact, denial is acknowledged as the first stage in the process of death and dying (the five
stages being denial, anger, bargaining with God, depression, and acceptance, in that order).
DISPLACEMENT
This is another of the most common defense mechanisms. This occurs as a result of repression. When one is not
able to release stress, or satisfy the urges of the id, due to circumstance, the resulting anxiety is often displaced
onto another person or object innocent of any wrongdoing and disconnected for the situation. Most commonly,
displacement takes the form of outward physical or verbal aggression. For example, a boy punished by a teacher
at school may deal with his anger toward the teacher by going home and hitting his sister. A stereotypical act of
displacement (one which is truly all too common in society) is that of an individual coming home from a job in which
he/she has been dominated and stressed by an employer, and dealing with the resulting anger by abusing his/her
family physically and/or emotionally, and demanding to be served and waited on.
FANTASY
Many are familiar with the act of fantasizing. Perhaps you work at a stressful and tiresome job, dreaming of the
day when you will run the company and get to take it easy and order everyone else around. Perhaps you watch an
action movie and envision yourself as a daring hero or heroine. These are examples of fantasy. Fantasy is a
normal and acceptable behavior, and can be positive in many ways, such as providing a motivation to achieve.
However, on must realize that fantasy and reality are two separate entities, and that fantasizing will neither
resolve conflicts nor bring about self-improvement. One must actively pursue the goals of fantasies in order for
them to become realities.
PROJECTION
Projection is similar to denial in that one is unwilling to accept the realities of one's own self. In projection, the
faults and shortcomings, the taboo urges, of an individual are seen not as present in one's self, but rather in others.
Often, it is the URGE to perform an unacceptable deed, the will of the id which the ego and superego will not
permit an individual to perform, which is seen as present in others. One's inability to commit an act, and the urge's
subsequent repression, can manifest itself this way. For example, an employee at a convenience store considers
overcharging customers for items, and keeping the difference for himself, but thinks better of it and decides against
it. Suddenly, the employee begins to notice that all of the other workers are doing just that: grossly overcharging
customers and pocketing the money. Another good example would be that of a man feeling extremely hateful
towards a relative over a petty conflict, but then reluctantly deciding to forget the incident ever happened. The
man then begins to feel that his family no longer loves him, or wishes to do him harm.
RATIONALIZATION
In rationalization, one tries to find a reason or excuse for one's behavior which is more acceptable to the ego and
superego. Again, one often fabricates a great deal of information as opposed to facing the reality of a situation.
This particular defense mechanism works extremely well as it totally rids the individual of any sense of guilt,
remorse, or responsibility; therefore, it must be avoided as it tempts the individual to hide from reality. For
example, a woman is fired for missing an excessive amount of days at work without explanation, and for poor
performance while she was on the job. The real cause of the problem is the woman's alcoholism, but she
rationalizes that it was due to the fact that her boss hated her, the other employees felt threatened by her ability,
and that the company discriminates heavily on the basis of sex.
REACTION FORMATION
With this defense mechanism, the individual attempts to compensate for an unacceptable impulse by displaying the
TOTAL OPPOSITE of that impulse in great excess. One can often identify the presence of a reaction formation by
an incredibly extreme portrayal of emotion, especially if there seems to be in instantaneous change. For example,
as often seen in young children, a boy finds a female classmate to be attractive, and grow to be quite fond of her.
Afraid of the fact that his male friends may laugh at or insult him for admitting his desire, he becomes verbally and
even physically abusive to her, and begins to treat her with such disrespect that it's as if she is the embodiment of
all that angers him. He may even convince himself that he actually hates the girl. However, though the pressures
and anxieties that would have come with admitting his desire are now absent, his desire remains latent and
unresolved. It is for this reason of a failure to bring about resolution that reaction formations can prove to be
dangerous.
REGRESSION
Regression is the method of reverting back to a behavior that was comforting, enjoyable, or protective in youth.
Sometimes the behavior is less "child-like," in that it demonstrates a youthful innocence or free will, than it is
"childish," immature and inappropriate. It is commonality of this particular mechanism is much greater in younger
individuals. It is most common for very young children to revert back to behaviors from their infant years when
they feel a need to acquire attention, or feel that their sense of undivided love is threatened. An only child would
be more susceptible to this, as this "center of attention" feeling they are used to is no longer possible. Events that
might bring about such an act of regression in a child are the remarriage of a parent after divorce, or even that
parent beginning to date again. The child may begin to whine or cry more often, or begin bedwetting. Adults are
most susceptible to this after severe traumatic experiences, sometimes curling into the fetal position or sucking
thumbs, or playing with dolls etc….
REPRESSION
This is the most common of the defense mechanisms, and the basis for many of Freud's theories. Repression is
essentially forgetting, but it is not as if the information is disposed of permanently; rather, the information is tucked
away into the subconscious and has the potential to resurface violently at any moment. The forgetting is used for
defense as it protects the individual from consciously dealing with painful circumstances and events. Sometimes
the act of repression is referred to as "blacking/blocking out." Certain painful events, ranging from blocks of
minutes to hours to days to years, can be "lost," no recollection of the is possible through conscious effort.
Incidents of experiencing or witnessing physical pain and/or violence are often forgotten, but significantly
traumatic emotional experiences can be blocked as well. Some instances of repression fall under the category of
parapraxes as well, such as the forgetting of appointments and names.
PARAPRAXES
Many of us are familiar with the concept of parapraxes, but are simply unfamiliar with the technical name given to them by
Freud. The concept is so common that it was the focus of one of his most popular works, the appropriately titled
"Psychopathology of Everyday Life." Obviously, the household name by which we now know these came about posthumously,
and there is no way in which Freud could ever have guessed that parapraxes would become a concept so popular that they
would be given his namesake: Freudian Slips.
Freud argued that parapraxes were those things which were commonly referred to as mistakes, but were actually the
manifestation of subconscious truths and intentions. There are many different types of parapraxes, but the type we are most
familiar with are misspeakings, or slips of the tongue. An example of this type of parapraxes might be when a man is talking to
a woman whom he feels sexual desire or romantic interest for, and instead of saying "organism," says "orgasm." Obviously, this
would be an embarrassing situation, but what happened was his desire, which he may have consciously hid or subconsciously
repressed, manifested itself in his words. Sometimes one may not even notice that one has made such a mistake, but it is often
very evident to all who hear it. The meaning behind parapraxes is usually quite clear, and not difficult to interpret. Parapraxes
quite similar to this are miswritings and mistypings, which operate the same way as misspeakings in that one expresses a
subconscious element while one communicates.
The act of forgetting, Freud says, is in many ways like the act of repression; in repression, one either intentional or
subconsciously forgets something as a defense mechanism, because the memory of such a thing causes great discomfort. Even
in such instances as the forgetting of someone's name when speaking to them, Freud contends that, "by the side of simple cases
where proper names are forgotten there is a type of forgetting which is motivated by repression." However, the forgetting of a
name is not the only forgetting which falls under the classification of parapraxes; the misplacing of an item, for instance, is also
just as relevant, and Freud contends that, especially in those odd cases where one loses something for a long time and then
eventually just happens upon it, the person was motivated subconsciously to remove the object from view due to the connecting
of that object with a person or event which would desirably be forgotten, and it was the resolution of this problematic event or
the clearing of any tension that permitted the person to locate the lost item.
Misunderstandings are more the category under which the classic "Freudian Slip" would fall, as well as acts of miswriting,
mishearing, or misreading. These mistakes are often felt to reveal what the person making the mistake is REALLY thinking, or
what the person wishes to express subconsciously. Freud says that these mistakes are often caused by an influence from
another element in the chain of thought, an anticipation of a word or sound, the emergence of what one's true intention is, or
through an outside interference. Interestingly enough, Freud reports that the instance of such occurrences arises while a person
reaches lower states of consciousness, such as being very tired or intoxicated.
Finally, the "accidents," as simple as tripping or stumbling, Freud feels are also a manifestation of repressed or subconscious
feelings into a physical act. He feels that these may have to do with fantasies which involve losing control of motor skills and
bodily equilibrium, usually for sexual purposes. The most common and obvious sexually motivated "accident," however, is
bumping into someone, because this allows for the people to enter into each other's intimate space, the small radius around the
body which only loved ones can enter without causing great discomfort. Conversely, accidents which cause the person to
injure him or herself are often either to bring upon sympathy and attention, and accidents which hurt another are often
subconscious "actings out" of hostility. Freud also links the breaking of objects, by dropping them and such, to repression and
the desire to have such objects removed from one's life.