Freudian Revolution his approach to these topics was largely

conceptual. His theoretical thoughts were as

Relates to the ideas or methods of
original as they were unique. It is a testament to
Sigmund Freud, especially those about how
Freud’s mind to know that whether you
people’s hidden thoughts and feelings influence
agree, disagree, or are ambivalent about his
their behavior with respect to the causes and
theory, it remains a theoretical cornerstone in
treatment of neurotic and psychopathic states, the
his field of expertise.
interpretation of dreams, etc.
Sigmund Freud
Freudian Theory of Personality

The adult personality emerges as a composite of

early childhood experiences, based on how these
experiences are consciously and unconsciously
processed within human developmental stages,
and how these experiences shape the personality.

6 May, 1856 – 23 September, 1939 ID

-considered father of psychiatry The id is the primitive and instinctive
-born to Galician Jewish parents in the Moravian component of personality. The id is a part of the
town of Freiberg in the Austrian Empire unconscious that contains all the urges and
impulses, including what is called the libido, a
-qualified as a doctor of medicine in 1881 at the kind of generalized sexual energy that is used for
University of Vienna everything from survival instincts to appreciation
-became a teacher in neuropathy in 1902 of art. The id is also kind of stubborn, for it
responds only to what Freud called the pleasure
- lived and worked in Vienna, having set up his principle (if it feels good, do it), and nothing else.
clinical practice there in 1886
The id is the impulsive (and unconscious)
- Freud left Austria to escape Nazi persecution in part of our psyche which responds directly and
1938 immediately to basic urges, needs, and desires.
-He died in exile in the United Kingdom in 1939 The personality of the newborn child is all id and
only later does it develop an ego and super-ego.
Freud was a one-of-a-kind thinker. There
can be little question that he was influenced by The id engages in primary process
earlier thinking regarding the human mind, thinking, which is primitive, illogical, irrational,
especially the idea of there being activity within and fantasy oriented. This form of process
the mind at a conscious and unconscious level yet thinking has no comprehension of objective
reality, and is selfish and wishful in nature.
 The voice of conscience (doing what is
right) and the source of self-criticism originate
from the superego, a component of the
EGO unconscious. The superego has a great number of
rules, or prohibitions, that are often given
The ego is 'that part of the id which has involuntarily in the form of orders or "don't"
been modified by the direct influence of the statements. It somewhat reflects society's moral
external world.' ideals, and a person is occasionally aware of their
The ego develops to mediate between the own morals and ethics.
unrealistic id and the external real world. It is the The superego's function is to control the
decision-making component of personality. id's impulses, especially those which society
Ideally, the ego works by reason, whereas the id is forbids, such as sex and aggression. It also has the
chaotic and unreasonable. The ego considers function of persuading the ego to turn to
social realities and norms, etiquette and rules in moralistic goals rather than simply realistic ones
deciding how to behave. and to strive for perfection.
Like the id, the ego seeks pleasure (i.e., The superego consists of two systems: The
tension reduction) and avoids pain, but unlike the conscience and the ideal self.
id, the ego is concerned with devising a realistic
strategy to obtain pleasure. The ego has no  The conscience
concept of right or wrong; something is good - is our 'inner voice' that tells us when
simply if it achieves its end of satisfying without we have done something wrong. The
causing harm to itself or the id. conscience can punish the ego through
causing feelings of guilt. For example,
The ego engages in secondary process
if the ego gives in to the id's demands,
thinking, which is rational, realistic, and
the superego may make the person feel
orientated towards problem-solving. If a plan of
bad through guilt.
action does not work, then it is thought through
again until a solution is found. This is known as
reality testing and enables the person to control
 The ideal self (or ego-ideal)
their impulses and demonstrate self-control, via
- which Freud dubbed the superego and
mastery of the ego.
which develops out of a person's first
According to the Freudians, some types of significant romantic relationship
abnormal upbringing (particularly if there is a (usually a parent), is another
cold, rejecting mother) can result in a weak and challenging aspect of the superego. It
fragile ego, whose ability to contain the id’s will attempt to describe what it wants
desires is limited. This can lead to the ego being the individual to accomplish in lofty,
‘broken apart’ by its attempt to contain the id, admiring words.
leaving the id in overall control of the psyche. - is an imaginary picture of how you
ought to be, and represents career
aspirations, how to treat other people,
SUPEREGO and how to behave as a member of
society.
The superego incorporates the values and
- Behavior which falls short of the ideal
morals of society which are learned from one's
self may be punished by the superego
parents and others. It develops around the age of
through guilt. The super-ego can also
3 – 5 years during the phallic stage
reward us through the ideal self when
of psychosexual development. The superego is
we behave ‘properly’ by making us
seen as the purveyor or rewards (feelings of pride
feel proud.
and satisfaction) and punishments (feelings of
-
shame and guilt) depending on which part (the
ego-deal or conscious) is activated.
 If a person’s ideal self is too high a
standard, then whatever the person does will
represent failure. The ideal self and conscience are
largely determined in childhood from parental
values and how you were brought up.
Not every person completes the necessary
tasks of every developmental stage. When they
don’t, the result can be a mental condition
requiring psychoanalysis to achieve proper
functioning.

Freudian Stages of Development

You can remember the order of these
Freud proposed that personality stages by using the mnemonic: “old (oral) age
development in childhood takes place during five (anal) pensioners (phallic) love (latent) grapes
psychosexual stages, which are the oral, anal, (genital).
phallic, latency, and genital stages. During each
stage sexual energy (libido) is expressed in
different ways and through different parts of the Oral Stage (Birth to 1 year)
body.
During the oral stage, the infant's primary
In describing human personality source of interaction occurs through the mouth, so
development as psychosexual Freud meant to the rooting and sucking reflex is especially
convey that what develops is the way in which important. The mouth is vital for eating, and the
sexual energy of the id accumulates and is infant derives pleasure from oral stimulation
discharged as we mature biologically. (NB Freud through gratifying activities such as tasting and
used the term 'sexual' in a very general way to sucking.
mean all pleasurable actions and thoughts).
Freud said oral stimulation could lead to
an oral fixation in later life.  We see oral
personalities all around us such as smokers, nail-
biters, finger-chewers, and thumb suckers.  Oral
personalities engage in such oral behaviors,
particularly when under stress.

Anal Stage (1 to 3 years)

During the anal stage, Freud believed that
the primary focus of the libido was on controlling
Freud stressed that the first five years of bladder and bowel movements. The major conflict
life are crucial to the formation of adult at this stage is toilet training—the child has to
personality. The id must be controlled in order to learn to control their bodily needs. Developing
satisfy social demands; this sets up a conflict this control leads to a sense of accomplishment
between frustrated wishes and social norms. and independence.
The ego and superego develop in order to Freud believed that positive experiences
exercise this control and direct the need for during the toilet training stage serve as the basis
gratification into socially acceptable channels. for people to become competent, productive,
Gratification centers in different areas of the body and creative adults.
at different stages of growth, making the conflict
at each stage psychosexual.
 Parents who utilize praise and rewards for Latency Stage (6 years to puberty)
using the toilet at the appropriate time encourage
During this stage, the superego continues
positive outcomes and help children feel capable
to develop while the id's energies are suppressed.
and productive.
Children develop social skills, values and
Early or harsh potty training can lead to relationships with peers and adults outside of the
the child becoming an anal-retentive personality family.
who hates mess, is obsessively tidy, punctual and
The development of
respectful of authority.  They can be stubborn and
the ego and superego contribute to this period of
tight-fisted with their cash and possessions.
calm. The stage begins around the time that
If parents take an approach that is too children enter into school and become more
lenient, Freud suggested that an anal-expulsive concerned with peer relationships, hobbies, and
personality could develop in which the individual other interests.
has a messy, wasteful, or destructive personality.
Freud thought that most sexual impulses
are repressed during the latent stage, and sexual
energy can be sublimated towards school work,
Phallic Stage (3 to 6 years)
hobbies, and friendships. 
Freud suggested that during the phallic
As with the other psychosexual stages,
stage, the primary focus of the libido is on the
Freud believed that it was possible for children to
genitals. At this age, children also begin to
become fixated or "stuck" in this phase. Fixation
discover the differences between males and
at this stage can result in immaturity and an
females.
inability to form fulfilling relationships as an
Freud also believed that boys begin to adult.
view their fathers as a rival for the mother’s
affections. The Oedipus complex describes these
feelings of wanting to possess the mother and the Genital Stage (puberty to adult)
desire to replace the father. However, the child
The onset of puberty causes the libido to
also fears that he will be punished by the father for
become active once again. During the final stage
these feelings, a fear Freud termed castration
of psychosexual development, the individual
anxiety.
develops a strong sexual interest in the opposite
The term Electra complex has been used to sex. This stage begins during puberty but last
describe a similar set of feelings experienced by throughout the rest of a person's life.
young girls. Freud, however, believed that girls
Sexual instinct is directed to heterosexual
instead experience penis envy.
pleasure, rather than self-pleasure like during the
Eventually, the child begins to identify phallic stage. 
with the same-sex parent as a means of vicariously
Teens in the genital stage of development
possessing the other parent. For girls, however,
are able to balance their most basic urges against
Freud believed that penis envy was never fully
the need to conform to the demands of reality
resolved and that all women remain somewhat
and social norms.
fixated on this stage.
For Freud, the proper outlet of the sexual
Psychologists such as Karen
instinct in adults was through heterosexual
Horney disputed this theory, calling it both
intercourse.  Fixation and conflict may prevent
inaccurate and demeaning to women. Instead,
this with the consequence that sexual perversions
Horney proposed that men experience feelings of
may develop. 
inferiority because they cannot give birth to
children, a concept she referred to as womb envy.
 For example, fixation at the oral stage may
result in a person gaining sexual pleasure
primarily from kissing and oral sex, rather than
sexual intercourse.