PSYCHOANALYSIS

THEORY
Understanding the Human Mind
(Sigmund Freud)

MICHAEL S. BAUTISTA
GED 111 Instructor
“Have you ever wanted something really badly but
knew it was wrong to do or get it?”

“What do you usually do when your mind says ‘yes’

but your conscience says ‘no’?”
Introductory Activity: “The Voice in My Head”
Objective: To activate students’ 1. Have you ever argued
thinking about internal conflicts and with yourself before
how they make decisions. making a decision?

You walk into a store, and you 2. What was the situation,
see your favorite chocolate bar and what did your mind
on the shelf. You’re hungry but want you to do?
don’t have money. No one is
watching.
KEY IDEAS OF PSYCHOANALYSIS INCLUDE:

•Unconscious mind: Most of what drives us is hidden

from our conscious awareness.
•Id, Ego, Superego: The three parts of the mind that
interact to shape personality.
•Defense mechanisms: Ways the ego protects itself from
anxiety by hiding uncomfortable thoughts.
•Early childhood experiences: These play a big role in
shaping adult behavior.
Psychoanalysis is a theory
and method of understanding
the human mind and
behavior developed by
Sigmund Freud.

It focuses on how
unconscious thoughts,
feelings, and memories—
often hidden from our
awareness—affect our
actions and mental health.
PSYCHOANALYSIS

Is a therapy as well as a theory. It is commonly

used to treat depression and anxiety disorders.

Emphasizes unconscious motivation in which the

main cause of behavior lies in unconscious mind
Psychoanalysis theory, developed by Sigmund Freud,
views society as a structure that influences and
controls human behavior through unconscious
desires, social norms, and repression.
Psychoanalysis views society as a force that shapes and
controls human behavior by influencing the unconscious
mind. Society requires people to repress their desires,
which can lead to internal conflict and mental struggles.
Who is Sigmund Freud?

• Born in 1856 in Austria, died in 1939

• Neurologist and founder of
Psychoanalysis
• Known for exploring the
unconscious mind
• One of the most influential thinkers
in psychology
Sigmund Freud
Founder of Psychoanalysis and
he proposed the complete theory
of personality.

Believed that people could be

cured by making conscious
their unconscious thoughts and
motivations.
 Freud's Model of the Mind

• Conscious – what we are aware of

• Preconscious – memories we can recall
• Unconscious – deep hidden thoughts
and desires
1. Human behavior is driven by the unconscious
•People are influenced by unconscious thoughts,
childhood experiences, and inner conflicts (especially
around sex and aggression).
•These inner desires are often repressed because they
conflict with society’s rules.
2. Society demands control of instincts

•Society sets up rules, laws, and norms to regulate

human instincts, especially those considered
“dangerous” like aggression or sexual impulses.
•To live in society, people must suppress their desires
— this creates tension, anxiety, or guilt.
3. The self is shaped by social interactions

•The ego develops to balance the demands of:

• The id (instincts and desires)
• The superego (moral rules from society)

•Society plays a major role in forming the superego,

which tells us what is "right" or "wrong."
4. Social problems come from inner conflict

•Crime, deviance, or mental health issues may arise

when there’s too much pressure from society or
when people fail to properly repress or express their
desires.
Short Story Illustration: Anna’s Fear of Dogs

•Conscious Mind: Anna knows she is nervous when she

sees a dog. She thinks, "Why am I scared?"
•Preconscious Mind: Later, she remembers a time as a
child when a dog barked loudly at her. She brings this
memory to mind.
•Unconscious Mind: Anna’s fear started from a forgotten
scary experience with dogs that she buried deep inside.
Even though she didn’t remember it at first, this hidden
fear influenced her reaction.
Freud’s Structural Model of the Mind/
THEORY OF PERSONALITY

•Id: The primitive, pleasure-seeking part (ex: "I want it

now!")
•Ego: The rational part, balancing desires and reality
(ex: "Let’s think about this.")
•Superego: The moral conscience (ex: "That’s not
right.")
Id- a biological component or instinctual drives present at
birth.
Operates according to the pleasure principle
Ego- a psychological component, the part of the personality
that is aware of reality and considers the consequences of
an action.
Operates on reality principle.
Superego- a social component, it contains our social
conscience and experience guilt and anxiety when we do
something wrong.
Operates in moral principles
 Example Scenario

• Situation: You see a phone left behind on a

bench.

• Id: Take it, you want a new phone!

• Ego: Think first. There may be consequences.
• Superego: That’s stealing. Return it or report
it.
A student sees the answer key during an
exam.

Id: “Copy the answers! You’ll pass!”

Ego: “Wait, what if I get caught?”
Superego: “That’s cheating. I should be honest.”
“Our personalities are shaped by the constant
interaction of the Id, Ego, and Superego.

Understanding these helps us become more

aware of our decisions and behaviors.”
 Defense Mechanisms

• Denial – refusing to accept reality

• Repression – burying painful thoughts
• Projection – blaming others for your
feelings
Anxiety- a state of tension that motivates an individual to
do something. It arises out of a conflict among the id, ego
and superego.
Three kinds of Anxiety
• Reality Anxiety- fear of danger from the external world,
real, objective sources of danger in the environment
• Neurotic Anxiety-fear that the id impulses will
overwhelm the ego and cause the person to do
something that will be punished
• Moral Anxiety- fear of one’s own conscience
In psychoanalysis, early childhood experiences play
a crucial role in shaping an individual’s personality,
behavior, and emotional development. This concept
is one of the core ideas of Sigmund Freud’s theory.
 Ideas About Early Childhood
Experiences in Psychoanalysis

1. Childhood Determines Adulthood

•Freud believed that many psychological issues in

adulthood stem from unresolved conflicts or
traumas during early childhood.
2. Psychosexual Stages of
[Link] Stage (6–12
Development
years) – Repression of
•Freud proposed five stages: sexual urges.
[Link] Stage (12+
[Link] Stage (0–1 year) –
years) – Mature sexual
Focus on mouth (e.g.,
relationships.
sucking).
[Link] Stage (1–3 years) –
•Fixation at any stage due
Focus on toilet training.
to unresolved issues can
[Link] Stage (3–6 years)
result in personality
– Awareness of genitals,
problems later in life.
Oedipus/Electra complex.
3. Unconscious Mind Stores Childhood Memories

 Painful or repressed childhood experiences

can be buried in the unconscious but
continue to influence thoughts and behavior
unconsciously.
4. Importance of Early Relationships

 The relationship with parents or caregivers

forms the foundation for how we relate to
others later in life (attachment, trust, love,
fear of abandonment, etc.).
✍️Example

A child who experiences neglect might develop

an unconscious fear of abandonment, which can
later lead to clingy or avoidant behaviors in
adult relationships.
In psychoanalysis, early childhood
experiences are deeply influential, often
shaping the unconscious motivations
and emotional patterns that guide a
person’s adult life.
When Ana was a child, her parents
often left her at home with the
nanny. She grew up constantly fearing
that her loved ones might abandon
her.
Now as an adult, Ana becomes overly
clingy or attached to her partner,
afraid of being left or neglected. Even
though she doesn’t consciously think
about it, this fear is rooted in her
childhood experiences — something
that, according to psychoanalysis, lies
in her unconscious mind.
Cheating on an Exam
You didn’t study and the exam is starting. You see a seatmate's
paper.
The Forgotten Wallet
You are very hungry and you forgot your wallet at home. You
see someone else's lunch on a table, and no one is around.

Group Project Dilemma

Your groupmates didn’t help with the project, but you’re all getting
the same grade.
Peer Pressure at a Party
Your friends offer you alcohol at a party, but you’re
underage.

Social Media Post

Someone insults you online. You feel angry.
1. Who is known as the father of psychoanalysis?
A. Carl Jung
B. Sigmund Freud
C. Erik Erikson
D. B.F. Skinner

2. What part of the personality operates on the “pleasure

principle”?
A. Ego
B. Superego
C. Id
D. Conscious
 3. Which part of the mind acts as a moral guide, telling
you what is right or wrong?
A. Id
B. Ego
C. Superego
D. Preconscious
4. The Ego tries to balance the demands of which two parts?
A. Id and Superego
B. Id and Conscious
C. Superego and Unconscious
D. Conscious and Preconscious
5. If a person blames others for their own mistakes, which
defense mechanism are they using?
A. Repression
B. Denial
C. Projection
D. Rationalization
True or False
1. The Id is responsible for your sense of morality and conscience.
2. Sigmund Freud believed that many of our actions are
controlled by the unconscious mind.
3. The Ego works like a referee, balancing the Id and
Superego.
4. Defense mechanisms are unhealthy and should
always be avoided.

5. The Superego is the most impulsive part of our

personality.
🎭 Scenario: The Tempting Test

You forgot to study for a big exam. During the test, you
notice your seatmate's answers are clearly visible.

💭 What would each part of your personality say?

Id: ____________________________________
Ego: ___________________________________
Superego: _______________________________
Task:

Write a short reflection (5 sentences) on a time

when you experienced an internal conflict
between your Id, Ego, and Superego.