TRIPARTITE
Id- Pleasure
Ego- Mediator; seeks to
satisfy both the id and
supergo
Superego- Strength; how well
the ego copes with these
forces; strives for perfection
Defence Mechanisms
Definition: Allows you to cope with events or information that you would not be able to handle
without them. They are used to prevent mental breakdowns. There are 6 defence mechanisms:
Repression- deliberate forgetting
Denial- saying that something never happened
Projection- transferring your fear onto someone else
Displacement- channelling your fear/anger onto something or someone else
Reaction formation- reacting opposite to how you really feel or you have no reaction
Regression- Reverting back to a past time
Freud’s Psychosexual Development
Oral- 0 to 2 years; source of pleasure and sexual energy is mouth; part of id; key behaviours are
sucking and biting objects to explore; if baby is weaned too soon or too late this may cause
fixation; adult behaviours that would occur may be over enthusiastic (if too much gratification), or
sarcasm, hyperactive nervous, edgy and pessimistic (if too little).
Anal- 2 to 3 years; anus; key behaviours are faeces and potty training or control; fixation caused
by parents being too strict or too lenient and may cause messy character when older (expulsive),
or stubborn personality (retentive).
Phallic- 3 to 6 years; genitals; ego and superego; child notices differences between males and
females; over identification with same-sex parent causing fixation leading to vain, self-assured
and proud personality as adult.
Latency- 6 to 11; children prefer friends of same sex and focus on sport and school.
Genital- 12+; friendships between both sexes; problems with relationships if fixation occurs.
Id- Pleasure
Ego- Mediator; seeks to
satisfy both the id and
supergo
Superego- Strength; how well
the ego copes with these
forces; strives for perfection
Defence Mechanisms
Definition: Allows you to cope with events or information that you would not be able to handle
without them. They are used to prevent mental breakdowns. There are 6 defence mechanisms:
Repression- deliberate forgetting
Denial- saying that something never happened
Projection- transferring your fear onto someone else
Displacement- channelling your fear/anger onto something or someone else
Reaction formation- reacting opposite to how you really feel or you have no reaction
Regression- Reverting back to a past time
Freud’s Psychosexual Development
Oral- 0 to 2 years; source of pleasure and sexual energy is mouth; part of id; key behaviours are
sucking and biting objects to explore; if baby is weaned too soon or too late this may cause
fixation; adult behaviours that would occur may be over enthusiastic (if too much gratification), or
sarcasm, hyperactive nervous, edgy and pessimistic (if too little).
Anal- 2 to 3 years; anus; key behaviours are faeces and potty training or control; fixation caused
by parents being too strict or too lenient and may cause messy character when older (expulsive),
or stubborn personality (retentive).
Phallic- 3 to 6 years; genitals; ego and superego; child notices differences between males and
females; over identification with same-sex parent causing fixation leading to vain, self-assured
and proud personality as adult.
Latency- 6 to 11; children prefer friends of same sex and focus on sport and school.
Genital- 12+; friendships between both sexes; problems with relationships if fixation occurs.
