Sigmund Freud's Theory Of The Mind Essay

Sigmund Freud, an Austrian psychiatrist and referred to as the father of psychoanalysis, developed a completely new and fascinating technique to understanding the human personality. He is called 'one of the most influential and arguable minds of the twentieth century'. Freud was born on the sixth of may 1856 and died after being diagnosed with cancer on the 23rd of September 1939. During the course of Freud's existence, he developed certain theories that provoked a new understanding of the human mind. Some of Freud's theories include: the conscious and unconscious mind and the id, ego and superego. Freud's theories, such as these, were extremely influential, but subject to substantial criticism throughout his own life and ongoing to this present …show more content…
Freud sees that the unconscious, id part is the bottom part of the iceberg, underneath the sea hidden away and we are not always aware of it however, it is still there. Sigmund Freud sees that the pre-conscious, or super ego, as the piece of the iceberg thats under the water. Sometimes it is visible and other times it is hidden; again like the mind, when we are aware it is there but cannot always bring the thoughts to mind. Freud also describes the conscious, ego part, of the mind as the tip of the iceberg as it is the bit we are most aware of and can be …show more content…
The lack of reality within the super ego, if left deserted, would create perfectionists who would be unable to compromise with what life requires. Similarly an unchecked id would create an attention-seeking inconsiderate person, who would always be seeking to accomplish every command with no setback. The ego compromises the demands of the id and the super ego, allowing an individual to gain some satisfaction from the id while maintaining the super ego, which would prevent gratification. So all in all they all work together to create a well-rounded human