Look again the SOTP….
Is there a significant difference between the sex drive level of informal settlers
and legal residents?
Relevance to the Study
Theoretical Framework
In Freudian Theory, Sigmund Freud believed that the human mind is structured by two
parts; the conscious and the unconscious mind. The conscious mind involves information,
situations, feelings, and actions that we are aware of. The unconscious mind, on the other
hand, includes all the things that lie outside our awareness. Our wishes, dreams, urges,
desires, and forgotten memories lies in the unconscious mind, which also happens to
influence our behavior.
Moreover, Freud also believes that human personality or psyche, has three major
components; the Id, Ego, and Superego. The Id operates unconsciously according to
pleasure principle, which is the thought of satisfying the desires and urges immediately Explanatory
regardless of the consequences of ones actions. The Id is also composed of two drives or Power
instincts which is Eros and Thanathos. Eros or Life instinct deals with survival, reproduction,
and pleasure. It also creates Libido, which is an energy of sexual desire. Thanathos or
Death instinct is the person’s unconscious desire to die. Self-destructive behavior expresses
death drive, but Freud also believed that Thanathos are largely balanced by the Eros.
The ego operates accordingly to the reality principle, which is satisfying the demands of
Id in a realistic and reasonable action. It often compromises and postpones to satisfy the
needs just to avoid the possible negative consequences from the society. Ego conforms to
the rules, norms, and etiquette on how to behave properly, but does not havea concept of
right and wrong. When ego failed to use the reality principle and the person became
anxious, they tend to do unconscious defense mechanism in order make themselves feel
better and to help them hide unpleasant feelings, such as guilt. Ego also engages to reality
testing which enables a person to demonstrate self-control towards problems solving.
The Superego operates consciously and accordingly to the values and morals learned
from one’s parents and society. The function of the superego is to control the impulses of
the Id, specifically those which the society forbids, and also persuades the ego to strive for
perfection. Superego is divided into two systems: the conscience, it punishes the ego, when
failing, through guilt, and the Ideal self, which is an imaginary picture of how you should and
ought to be.
According to Freud, there are two competing forces that eventually happen in a person’s
brain. Cathexis is the investment of energy in an object, idea or person. It becomes Ego
cathexis when the energy becomes associated with an ego-related activity. Dispersal of
energy involves seeking out activity that has the capacity to fulfill the need in the short
term. An example is when the sexually aroused person wants to have a sexual intercourse
with the opposite sex. As mentioned earlier, the id cannot distinguish fantasy from reality,
so it is possible for the id to act in a not acceptable way. Luckily, the ego has an ability to
block immoral, irrational or unacceptable actions from the id known as the Anticathexis.
Anticathexis block or suppress cathexes from being utilized (Cherry, 2015).
In relation to our study, sex drive or desire is made by the Eros which can either be
satisfied behaving accordingly to Id, or Ego, or Superego. A person’s decision or behavior
could be affected based on how their drives will react on how they will be able to satisfy
his/her sexual needs.
Use of the Theory/theories in the
study
