PSYC 2283 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Ego Ideal
Document Summary
*catharsis process of removing hysterical symptoms through talking them out. * according to freud mental life is a balance between the conscious and unconscious. Unconscious drives, urges, instincts (beyond awareness) that motivate our words, feelings and actions. Conscious- mental elements in awareness at any given time, this is the only level of mental life directly available. *ideas reach consciousness through perceptual conscious system or within a mental structure. Perceptual conscious system- what we perceive through sense organs. (outer world medium for perception of external stimuli if not threatening) Mental structure- ideas from preconscious plus well disguised images from the unconscious. Mental structure consists of the id, ego and. Sole function is to seek pleasure, satisfies basic desires. Grows out of id, sole source of communication with external world. Can control the powerful id, but may fail as well. Constantly trying to reconcile unrealistic, irrational demands of id and superego with realistic demands of the external world.
