Reality principle

In Freudian psychology and psychoanalysis, the reality principle (German: Realitätsprinzip)[1] is the
ability of the mind to assess the reality of the external world, and to act upon it accordingly,[2] as opposed
to acting according to the pleasure principle. The reality principle is the governing principle of the actions
taken by the ego, after its slow development from a "pleasure-ego" into a "reality-ego".[3]

History
Freud argued that "an ego thus educated has become 'reasonable'; it no longer lets itself be governed by
the pleasure principle, but obeys the reality principle, which also, at bottom, seeks to obtain pleasure, but
pleasure which is assured through taking account of reality, even though it is pleasure postponed and
diminished".[4]

In his introductory lectures of 1915, at the University of Vienna, Freud popularized the concept of the
unconscious as the largest and most influential part of the mind, including those drives, instincts and
motives humans are often forced to deny except in disguised form.[5] In the 23rd lecture, Freud discussed
the conflict between the realm of "Phantasy" and the reality principle, comparing the former to a nature
reserve.[6] He argued however that "there is a path that leads back from phantasy to reality - the path, that
is, of art".[7]

Jonathan Lear has argued that there was in fact an ethical dimension to Freud's concept of the reality
principle, in that it was opposed to a neurotically distorted world-view.[8]

Development
In infancy and early childhood, the Id governs behavior predominantly by obeying the pleasure principle.
Maturity is the slow process of learning to endure the pain of deferred gratification as and when reality
requires it – a process Freud saw as fostered by education and educators.[9] The result is the mature
mind's ability to avoid instant gratification in favor of long-term satisfaction.

In order to do so, the reality principle does not ignore the id, but strives instead to satisfy its desires in
balanced and socially appropriate ways, through awareness of and adjustment to environmental demands.
The manner in which it moderates the pleasure principle and assures satisfaction of instinctual needs is by
weighing the costs and benefits of an action before deciding to act upon or ignore an impulse.[10] The
reality principle forces the mind to consider the risks, requirements and outcomes of various decisions.
The ego does not strive to eradicate urges, but instead it temporarily halts the discharge of the id's energy
until a more suitable, safe and realistic time and place can be found. This necessary process of delay is
accomplished through the so-called secondary process.
An example of the reality principle at work is a person who is dieting, but chooses not to give into hunger
cravings. He or she knows that satisfying their unhealthy cravings, and thus satisfying the pleasure
principle, provides only short-term empty satisfaction that thwarts the objective of the diet.[11]

While some of Freud's ideas may be faulty and others not easily testable, he was a peerless observer of
the human condition, and enough of what he proposed, particularly concerning the reality principle,
manifests itself in daily life.[12]

Neurotic rebellion and fantasy

Rebellion against the constraints of the reality principle, in favour of a belief in infantile omnipotence,
appears as a feature of all neurotic behavior - something perhaps seen most overtly in the actions of
gamblers.[13]

Psychosis can be seen as the result of the suspension of the reality principle, while sleep and dreaming
offer a 'normal' everyday example of its decommissioning.[14]

Susan Isaacs argued however that reality thinking in fact depended on the support of fantasy, rather than
being opposed to it.[15] Jacques Lacan similarly maintained that the field of reality required the support of
the imaginary world of fantasy for its maintenance.[16] Even the ego psychologists have come to see the
perception of reality as taking place through the medium of a greater or lesser veil of infantile fantasy.[17]

Consolidation of the reality principle

The reality principle increases its scope in the wake of puberty, expanding the range and maturity of the
choices the individual makes.[18] Adolescents are no longer children who must succumb to every need,
but must balance what is pleasurable with what is real, even if maintaining this balance happens to be
disagreeable.

A further change in the reality principle from adolescence to adulthood can be a critical transition in its
consolidation; but the impact of certain traumatic experiences may prove to be detrimental from within
the unconscious. In the new reality principle, the individual must find themselves to be represented as a
strong presence within their own mind and making reasoned decisions, instead of being merely
perceived.[19] It is the culmination of the way in which an adolescent learns to experience oneself in the
context of their external reality.[20]

Vs. pleasure principle

Both the reality principle and pleasure principle pursue personal gratification, but the crucial difference
between the two is that the reality principle is more focused on the long-term and is more goal-oriented
while the pleasure principle disregards everything except for the immediate fulfillment of its desires.[21]
The pleasure principle
The reality principle and pleasure principle are two competing concepts established by Freud. The
pleasure principle is the psychoanalytic concept based on the pleasure drive of the id in which people
seek pleasure and avoid suffering in order to satisfy their biological and psychological needs. As people
mature, the id's pleasure-seeking is modified by the reality principle. As it succeeds in establishing its
dominance as a regulatory principle over the id, the search for satisfaction does not take the most direct
routes, but instead postpones attainment of its goal in accordance with conditions imposed by the outside
world, or in other words, deferred gratification.[22] These two concepts can be viewed in psychological
terms or processes, with the pleasure principle being considered the primary process that is moderated by
the secondary process, or the reality principle. From an economic standpoint, the reality principle
corresponds to a transformation of free energy into bound energy.[21]

Impulse control
Freud defines impulses as products of two competing forces: the pleasure principle and the reality
principle. These two forces clash because impulses encourage action without any premeditated thought or
deliberation and little regard to consequences, compromising the role of the reality principle. Impulses are
often difficult for the mind to overcome because they hold anticipated pleasurable experiences. Freud
emphasizes the importance of the development of impulse control because it is socially necessary and
human civilization would fail without it. If an individual lacks sufficient impulse control, it represents a
defect of repression that may lead to severe psychosocial problems (Kipnis 1971; Reich 1925; Winshie
1977).[21]

Development of the reality principle

The ability to control impulses and delay gratification is one of the hallmarks of a mature personality and
the result of a thriving reality principle.[23] Throughout childhood, children learn how to control their
urges and behave in ways that are socially appropriate. Researchers have found that children who are
better at delaying gratification may have better defined egos, because they tend to be more concerned
with things such as social appropriateness and responsibility. Most adults have developed the capacity for
the reality principle in their ego. They have learned to override the constant and immediate gratification
demands of the id.

In human development, the transition in dominance from the pleasure principle to the reality principle is
one of the most important advances in the development of the ego. The transition is rarely smooth and
can lead to interpersonal conflict and ambivalence. If the reality principle fails to develop, a different
dynamic takes its place. The super-ego asserts its authority, inflicting guilt on the individual because they
do not have the ability to placate both reason and pleasure. The ego becomes trapped in between the
"should" of the id and the "should not" of the superego.[24] A person who lives as a slave to their
immediate desires and consistently feels regret and guilt afterwards will lead an unhappy and persistently
unfulfilled existence. It is not hard to find examples of adults who live this way, such as the alcoholic
who drinks then feels guilty for doing so and they go on to perpetuate the vicious cycle.[21]
Split ego
At the failure of the ego to embrace its developing role within the reality principle, it remains under the
control of the pleasure principle. This results in a split ego, a condition in which the two principles clash
much more severely than when under the temptation of an impulse.[25] The control of the pleasure
principle persists as strongly as it does because as the child's self-representation begins to differentiate
from the object representation of the mother, they begin to experience depression at the loss of what the
mother provides. Yet, at the same time the mother continues to encourage such behavior in the child
instead of allowing them to mature. This behavior enforces clinging and denial which promotes the
persistence of the pleasure principle in an attempt to avoid the pain of separation or subsequent
depression. The pleasure principle denies the reality of separation of mother and child while the reality
principle still attempts to pursue it. This path of development creates a break between the growing child's
feelings and the reality of his or her behavior as they enter the real world.[26]

Strengthening the reality principle

From a Freudian standpoint, one means of strengthening the reality principle within the ego would be to
attain control over the id. Through maturity and a better sense of self, individuals can find the strength to
gradually develop the reality principle and learn to defer pleasure by making more rational and controlled
choices. In a traditional psychoanalytic model, this could take several years of restraint, and even so,
many people will make the choice to achieve instant gratification over delayed gratification.

See also
Deferred gratification
Id, ego, and super-ego
Ignacio Matte Blanco
Pierre Janet
Self-control

References
1. Jean Laplanche; Jean-Bertrand Pontalis (2018) [1973]. "Reality Principle" (https://books.goo
gle.com/books?id=RptYDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Reality.+Principle.+%3D+D.:+Realitätsprinzi
p%22&pg=PT681). The Language of Psychoanalysis (https://books.google.com/books?id=R
ptYDwAAQBAJ). Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-92124-7.
2. Sigmund Freud, On Metapsychology (PFL 11) p. 36
3. Freud, Metapsychology p. 42
4. Sigmund Freud, Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis (PFL 1) p. 402-3
5. Boeree, Dr. C. George. "Sigmund Freud" (http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/freud.html).
Retrieved 28 November 2012.
6. Freud, Introductory Lectures p. 419-420
7. Freud, "Introductory Lectures p. 423
8. Jonathan Lear, Freud (2012) p. 153 and p. 163
9. Freud, Metapsychology p. 41
10. Eric Berne, A Layman's Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis (1976) p. 73-4
11. "What is the Reality Principle?" (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-reality-principle.htm).
wiseGeek. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
12. De Vincenti, Gloria. "From Childhood Experience to ARS POETICA: Forming Substitutes".
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
13. J. Halliday/P. Fuller eds., The Psychology of Gambling (1974) p. 176-8
14. Berne, A Layman's Guide p. 216 and p. 143
15. R. D. Laing, Self and Others (1972) p. 19
16. Jacques Lacan, Ecrits (1997) p. 197 and p. 213-4
17. Janet Malcolm, Psychoanalysis: The Impossible Profession (1988) p. 76
18. J. Adelson, Inventing Adolescence (2008) p . 175
19. Ladame, Francois (1991). "Adolescence and the Repetition Compulsion" (http://www.pep-w
eb.org/document.php?id=ijp.072.0253a). The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis. 72 (
Pt 2): 253–273. PMID 1874588 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1874588). Retrieved
28 November 2012.
20. Yogev, Herzel (November 2006). "The triangular space in an analytic group: The role of the
father and transference in the dialogue". International Journal of Psychotherapy. 10 (3): 20–
33.
21. Rook, David. "The Buying Impulse" (https://mail.bc.edu/Session/426937-WGbwQKb1hVpUI
nOBT9Cn-kmbcnwv/MessagePart/INBOX/4468-02-B/Reality%20Principle.pdf) (PDF). The
University of Chicago Press. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
22. Gelley, Ora. "Freud Definitions" (https://eee.uci.edu/faculty/losh/resources/in-class/freudglos
sary.html). Retrieved 28 November 2012.
23. Cherry, Kendra. "What is the Reality Principle?" (https://web.archive.org/web/201211190033
18/http://psychology.about.com/od/rindex/g/def_realityprin.htm). Archived from the original (h
ttp://psychology.about.com/od/rindex/g/def_realityprin.htm) on 19 November 2012.
Retrieved 28 November 2012.
24. "What is the Reality Principle?" (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-reality-principle.htm).
wiseGeek. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
25. Wolfenstein, Eugene Victor (1985). "Three Principles of Mental Functioning in
Psychoanalytic Theory and Practice" (http://www.pep-web.org/document.php?id=ijp.066.007
7a). The International Journal of Psychoanalysis. 66: 77–94. PMID 4066170 (https://pubme
d.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4066170). Retrieved 28 November 2012.
26. Masterson, James (1978). "The Borderline Adult: Therapeutic Alliance and Transference" (ht
tp://ps.psychiatryonline.org/data/Journals/AJP/3104/437.pdf) (PDF). The American Journal
of Psychiatry. 135 (4). The American Psychiatric Association, Toronto: 437–441.
doi:10.1176/ajp.135.4.437 (https://doi.org/10.1176%2Fajp.135.4.437). PMID 637138 (http
s://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/637138). Retrieved 28 November 2012.

Further reading
Sándor Ferenczi, 'Stages in the Development of the Sense of Reality' Contributions to
Psychoanalysis (1916)
Jacques Lacan, 'Au-dela du principe de realite', Evolution psychiatrique (1936) 67-86
Nagera, Humberto, ed. (2014) [1970]. "The Reality Principle (pp. 61ff.)" (https://books.googl
e.com/books?id=9xmvAwAAQBAJ&dq=%22The+Reality+Principle%22&pg=PA61). Basic
Psychoanalytic Concepts on Metapsychology, Conflicts, Anxiety and Other Subjects (https://
books.google.com/books?id=9xmvAwAAQBAJ). Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge.
ISBN 978-1-31767042-1.
External links
Reality Principle (http://www.enotes.com/reality-principle-reference/reality-principle)
What is the Reality Principle? (http://psychology.about.com/od/rindex/g/def_realityprin.htm)
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20121119003318/http://psychology.about.com/od/rind
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