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Freudian view of
personality
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Introduction to Freud and

Psychoanalysis
▪ Sigmund Freud (1865 – 1939)

▪ Was a neurologist from Vienna

▪ Founded Psychoanalysis based on his treatment of patients with Hysteria

▪ Focused on the role of innate urges and tendencies as influences of

behaviour

▪ It is the libido or psychic energy that drives one towards pleasurable

behaviours

▪ Had a deterministic view on personality

▪ One's personality was almost set by the tender age of 5

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Levels of Personality

▪ The initial theory of Frued

focused on the three levels of
personality
▪ Conscious

▪ Subconscious/Preconscious

▪ Unconscious
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STRUCTURE OF PERSONALITY

THREE PARTS OF PERSONALITY

ID EGO SUPEREGO
• Based on Pleasure • Based on Reality principle • Based on Morality principle
principle. • Secondary process thought • Divided into Conscience
• Primary process thought and Ego-Ideal

The personality of an individual

depends on the relative strengths of
the 3 parts of personality
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Freud stated that when a conflict arises between Id
Defense and other parts of one's personality, anxiety
Mechanisms develops

The ego uses strategies to defend itself against the

anxiety provoked by conflicts called 'Defense
Mechanisms'.

Some common Ego defenses are

• Repression
• Denial
• Reaction Formation
• Projection
• Regression
• Rationalization
• Displacement
• Sublimation
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Oral (Birth to 1 year)
Psychosexual • Id dominant
stages of • Mouth as the erogenous zone
• Oral aggressive or oral incorporative behaviours
development Anal (1-3 years)
• Organs of excretion are the erogenous zones
• Toilet training
• Anal aggressive or anal retentive personality
Phallic (4-5 years)
• Genital as the erogenous zone
• Oedipus complex and Electra complex
Latency (5-Puberty)
• A period of no psychoological conflicts
• Libido is sublimed into other activities and hobbies
Genital (Adolescence-Adulthood)
• Period of relatively less conflicts
• Development of sex-role identity