Ego is the conscience, the “I of each one”, that is, what characterizes the personality of each individual . The concept of ego is widely used in studies related to psychoanalysis and philosophy. According to psychoanalytic theory, the ego is part of the triad of the psychic model, formed by the ego, the superego and the id. Ego definition
The ego is considered the “personality defender”, it is responsible for preventing the unconscious contents from passing into the field of consciousness, thus triggering its defense mechanisms.
One of the main functions of the ego is to harmonize the id’s desires with the superego’s moral values. Thus, the ego suppresses the id’s unconscious wills with “fear” of the punishments and sanctions that may be directed at it.
The ego is responsible for the differentiation that the individual is able to make between his own inner processes and the reality that presents itself to him. Ego definition
Difference between Ego, Superego and Id
They make up the so-called triad of the psychic model.
The Ego , as said, is the conscious part of individuals and develops from the human being’s interaction with reality. He acts according to moral values and what society expects without ignoring his own desires. At the same time, it seeks to satisfy the id’s needs (drives and instincts) without extrapolating the moral values present in the superego.
The Id is the individual’s innate instinct, that is, the primitive desires, wills and drives of people that are filtered by the Ego and Superego. Ego definition
The Superego is the “repressor” of the Ego. It develops from the individual’s interaction with reality and represents the moral and cultural values that are taught and assimilated by the person. The superego is the “ideal self” suited to society‘s customs, principles, and moral values.
Ego and Freud’s Theory
The ego is based on the classical theory of Sigmund Freud, which is a set of hypotheses about how people’s brains work.
For Freud, every psychic event is determined by previous events, that is, there are no accidents. The ego is also based on the existence of the unconscious, which manifests itself in different ways in mental life.
alter ego
The alter ego is literally translated as a “second self” or “another self”. It consists of the existence of a second personality present in a single individual. Ego definition
In literature, for example, when an author produces a story from another person’s point of view, assuming a different personality for himself to build that work, we call this new personality the alter-ego.
In the field of psychoanalysis, the alter-ego can be considered a pathological symptom, such as Dissociative Identity Disorder.
