PSY 108 Lecture Notes - Nocturnal Enuresis, Reality Principle, Neurology
Document Summary
Trained as a neurologist freud saw the source of all the ids energy as biological. Only later at the infant develops is the energy which freud called libido converted into psychic energy all of it unconscious below the level of awareness. The id seeks immediate gratification and operates according to the pleasure principle. When the id is not satisfied tension is produced and the id strives to eliminate this tension. Another means of obtaining gratification is primary process thinking generating images in essence fantasies of what is desired. 2) the ego is the next aspect of the psyche to develop. Unlike the id the ego is primarily conscious and begins to develop from the id during the 2nd 6months of life. Through its planning and decision making functions called secondary process thinking the ego realized that operating on the pleasure principle at all times is not the most effective what of maintaining life.