Child & Adolescent Learners and Learning Principles LET REVIEWER
Lesson 17: Id, Ego, and Superego
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Professional Education (PROFED) Reviewer
The concepts of the id, ego, and superego were developed by the renowned Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. He introduced this structural model of the psyche in his 1920 essay Beyond the Pleasure Principle and further formalized it in The Ego and the Id (1923).
| FREUD’S PERSONALITY COMPONENTS: Id, Ego, and Superego |
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| The Id |
- Operates on the pleasure principle
- It focuses on immediate gratification or satisfaction of its needs.
- So, whatever feels good now is what it will pursue with no consideration for the reality, logicality or practicality in the situation
The id is the most primitive and instinctual part of the personality, present from birth. It is entirely unconscious and operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification of all basic biological drives and desires (such as hunger, thirst, and sexual urges), without regard for reality or consequences. The id is like the “child” part of your personality. It’s the part you’re born with, and it only cares about getting what it wants right away. It doesn’t think about rules, logic, or consequences, it just wants instant satisfaction. For example, when a baby is hungry, it cries until it’s fed. That’s the id in action: driven by the pleasure principle, which means “I want it now.” As we grow, the id is still there inside us, pushing for basic needs like food, comfort, and pleasure.
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| The Ego |
- Emerges during toddler and preschooler years
- Operates using the reality principle
- It is aware that others have also needs to be met.
- It is practical because it knows that being impulsive or selfish can result to negative consequences later, so it reasons and considers the best response to situations.
The ego develops from the id and is the rational, reality-oriented part of the personality. It operates on the reality principle, working to satisfy the id's demands in a socially acceptable and realistic manner. The ego acts as a mediator, weighing the costs and benefits before acting on or abandoning impulses. The ego is like the “manager” of your personality. It develops after the id and works to balance the id’s wild demands with the realities of the outside world. Unlike the id, which only wants instant pleasure, the ego operates on the reality principle. This means it asks, “Can I really get what I want right now, and is it safe or acceptable?” For example, if you’re hungry in class, your id says, “Eat now!” But your ego steps in and says, “Wait until break time, you can’t just grab food in the middle of the lesson.” In this way, the ego makes decisions that are practical, realistic, and socially acceptable.
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| The Superego |
- Near the end of the preschool years, or the end of the phallic stage, the superego develops.
- It embodies a person’s moral aspect; operates on the morality principle
- It is likened to conscience because it exerts influence on what one considers right or wrong.
The superego is the last component to develop, emerging around age five. It represents the internalized moral standards, values, and ideals acquired from parents and society. It acts as a person's conscience, striving for perfection and using feelings of guilt or pride to regulate behavior. The superego is like the “parent” or “judge” part of your personality. It develops later in childhood as you learn rules, values, and morals from your parents, teachers, and society. While the id wants instant pleasure and the ego tries to be realistic, the superego focuses on what is right and wrong. It pushes you to be your best self, aiming for perfection, and it makes you feel pride when you do something good or guilt when you break rules or go against your values. For example, if your id says, “Eat the whole cake now!” and your ego says, “Wait until after dinner, then have a slice,” your superego might say, “Don’t eat too much, it’s unhealthy and selfish to take it all.”
💡Just remember this:
ID - pleasure principle
EGO - reality principle
SUPEREGO - morality principle
Id, Ego, and Superego Quiz: click here
“If you truly understand, comment your reflection in at least 3-5 sentences or more about this lesson.”
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