Sigmund Freud & Motivation

Sigmund Freud & Motivation

1. Freud & Motivation
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2. Sigmund Freud
•Perhaps the most influential of all psychologists!
•Also controversial: some theories are still popular today, others
are considered outlandish !
•Underlying his work is the idea that our unconscious minds
influence our behavior (and we are not aware of this influence).

3. The “Unconscious Mind”
That part of our mind that
we are not aware of. It
contains our primitive
instincts and urges that are
biologically based. Some
of the information in our
unconscious mind is so
disturbing that the mind
automatically buries it
away so we do not have to
remember it and face it.

4. Id, Ego, Superego
Id, ego, and superego
are the three parts of
the human mind, as
labeled by Freud. The id
is fully unconscious. The
Ego and Superego are
partially conscious.
Ego
Id
Super-
ego
Conscious Mind
Unconscious Mind
The area directly below the surface of the
water is called the “preconscious mind,”
because although it is currently unconscious,
it can easily be brought to our awareness.

5. Id, Ego, & Superego Id
The instinctual part of the mind that responds
immediately to wants and desires. The id is chaotic and
animal-like, seeking pleasure and avoiding pain.
Ego
The ego is the decision-making part of the mind. It
uses reason and logic, and tries to get the unrealistic
id to cooperate in real life.
Superego
The voice that incorporates the values and morals
which are learned from one's parents and society. It
tries to persuade the id and ego to turn to moral
goals rather than seeking pleasure.

6. The “Id”
The instinctual part of the mind that responds immediately
to wants and desires. It operates on the pleasure principle,
and does not follow logic or reason. The id is chaotic and
animal-like, simply seeking pleasure and avoiding pain.
I’M GOING TO STEAL
MONEY FROM MY FRIEND!!
(BECAUSE I WANT MONEY NOW!)

7. The Pleasure Principle
The need to seek immediate gratification of all needs, wants,
and urges. In other words, the pleasure principle strives to
fulfill our most basic and primitive urges, including hunger,
thirst, anger, and sex. This behavior is animalistic (because
animals do the same things, and because these things are
done without much thought).
I want to
punch
somebody!
I want food
right now!

8. The “Ego”
The ego is the decision-making part of the mind. It uses
reason and logic, and tries to get the unrealistic id to
cooperate in real life (in society that has rules and
boundaries). Like the id, the ego seeks pleasure and avoids
pain, but unlike the id, the ego uses the reality principle to
find a more realistic strategy to obtain pleasure.
I can’t just walk into her house and
take her money. I have to find a
more realistic way to get it. I’m
going to ask her if I can borrow
money for a “medical emergency”
- and never pay her back!
!

9. The Reality Principle
The the reality principle strives to satisfy the id's desires in
realistic and socially appropriate ways. The reality principle
logically weighs the costs and benefits of an action before
deciding to act upon or abandon an impulse.
I’m hungry, but
I can’t grab the
food off of
someone else’s
plate: they will
yell at me. I
should buy my
own food.
I have the urge
to cut people
up into tiny
pieces, but, I’ll
go to jail. I
should become
a surgeon…

10. The “Superego”
The superego is the “conscience” of a person: it is the voice
that incorporates the values and morals which are learned
from one's parents and society. It tries to persuade the id
and ego to turn to moral goals rather than seeking pleasure.
The superego makes you feel guilt when you fall short of
the good person you want to be.
Stealing money is wrong. It is
harmful to other people. Maybe I
shouldn’t steal…maybe I should
work harder in order to make
more money at work.

11. Childhood Experiences
Freud believed that the way parents dealt with children's basic
sexual and aggressive desires would determine how their
personalities developed and whether or not they would end up
well-adjusted as adults.
He also believed that when
children are born, their minds are
entirely “id.” As they try and fail
things, learning what is acceptable
in society, they develop an “ego.”
The “superego” is the last to
develop, as children learn the
values of their parents and gain a
moral understanding of the world.

12. Assignment
Create an illustration in which id, ego, and superego are arguing
about how to behave. See specific instructions on the Psych website.
Let’s kill that guy
who always takes
our parking spot!
That might ruin our life. Let’s
kill small animals instead. No
one will care about that.
How about we not
kill anything!
Id
Ego
Superego