LESSON 04:

PSYCHOLOGICAL SELF
Learning Objective

Describe the concept of self from the different

psychological perspectives and explain how they
influence the development of the Self.
Psychoanalytic Theory
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud

The founder of Psychoanalysis

The self is multi-faceted because it consists of a strata of such

structures as the conscious, pre-conscious and the unconscious.
Levels of Mental Life:

1. conscious – are those mental elements in awareness

at any given point in time; the only level of mental
life directly available to us.

It operates in the ‘reality principle’ as it facilitates the

self ‘s navigation of its external environment in a
reasonable, mindful, and functional manner.
2. pre-conscious - contains those psychic materials that
are out of awareness but are accessible to conscious
awareness as need arises.

3. unconscious - storehouse of the individual’s rugged

(rough) instincts, painful memories, unfulfilled wishes
and childhood fantasies and unacceptable impulses; the
center piece of Freud’s theory.
Structures of Personality

1. The id is the innate component where man’s basic

instincts or biological drives are located
appears the earliest for early survival and immediate
gratification of the individual’s basic needs.
is often described as the primitive and irrational part of the
self.
it operates according to the pleasure principle.
2. The ego, being the rational and executive part of the
mind is the one that helps the self navigate the real world.

is the only region of the mind in contact with reality.

it strives to balance the desires of the id and the realities of

the objective, outside world.

it operates according to the reality principle.

3. The superego, represents the moral and ideal aspects of
personality and is guided by the moralistic and idealistic
principles.

operates like a compliance officer within the self and is

described as morally rigid whose task it to temper, if not to
totally quell the wishes of the id.

it operates according to the morality principle.

Freud’s concept of Self
 He asserted about a SELF or an EGO that needs to balance the ID
and the SUPEREGO.
A well-integrated self is achieved with the careful balancing and
harmonizing capacity of the ego or conscious mind between the
warring id and superego.
Psychosexual Stages of Development

1. Oral Stage (birth to 12-18 months)

2. Anal Stage (between 12-18 months and 3 years)
3. Phallic Stage (3 to 6 years)
4. Latency Stage (6 to 11 years)
5. Genital Stage (11 years to adulthood)
1. Oral Stage (birth to 12 -18 months)

 Mouth is the center of pleasure.

 The sexual aim is to receive into one’s
body the object-choice (nipple).

 Weaning (withdrawing the breast or

bottle) is the main conflict at this stage.

 Thumb sucking is a defense against

anxiety.
 If infants are either overly indulged (being fed every time
they cry) or frustrated in their search for oral gratification,
they may become fixated at this stage.

Thus, the term oral fixation.

2. Anal Stage (between 12-18 months to 3 years)

 The anal region is the major source of pleasure.

 The emphasis is on toilet training.

 Children obtain pleasure from both

retention and expulsion of feces.
3. Phallic Stage (3-6 years)

 The focus of pleasure shifts to the genital area.

 Oedipus complex – the male child unconsciously begins to

develop a sexual interest in his mother, sees his father as a
rival and develops the desire to eliminate the father.
 Castration anxiety – fear of losing one’s penis; the
boy’s hostile fantasies and impulses about his
father will create a fear of retaliation.

 This fear crashes the boy’s desire for the mother

which are then repressed into the unconscious.
 Female Oedipus Complex (Electra Complex)- the female
child unconsciously begins to develop a sexual interest in
her father , sees her mother as a rival and develops the
desire to eliminate the mother.

 Penis envy – the girls wish that they have the anatomical
part missing on them.
4. Latency Stage (6-11 years)

 Sexual impulses lie dormant during this time.

 The child channels his energies toward developing social,
intellectual and moral skills instead.
 Peer relationships and the school are the child’s primary
preoccupations.
5. Genital Stage (11 years to adulthood)

 The focus is on mature, adult sexuality.

 The sexual drive returns and is once again focused on the
genitals.
 The object of desire is the person of the opposite sex.
Psychosocial Theory of
Development

Erik Erikson
Erikson held that our ego is a positive force that
creates a self- identity, a sense of “I.”

As the center of our personality, our ego helps us

adapt to the various conflicts and crises of life
and keeps us from losing our individuality to the
leveling forces of society.
Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development

1. Trust vs. Mistrust (birth to between 12 and 18 months)

The development of trust requires

warm, nurturing caregiving.

Parents are expected to provide food,

caring and comfort.
 If needs are adequately met: the child develops trust
and security; a feeling of comfort and minimal fear.

X If care is inadequate & inconsistent, if the child is

treated too negatively or is ignored: the child develops
a sense of mistrust.

Thus, infants learn whether or not people are reliable.

2. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (early childhood
or between 12 and 18 months to 3 years)

• There is an increasing sense of separateness from the

caregiver.
• Children begin to assert their independence.
• They can be extremely headstrong.
• They want to be in control.
 If the child is given the opportunities to explore and do things on
his own: he develops a sense of accomplishment, self-control and
self-esteem.

X If the child is overly protected, or is inhibited and reprimanded in

his explorations: he may develop a sense of doubt regarding his
ability on his own or shame over his lack of self-control.
3. Initiative vs. Guilt (preschool age or between 3 and 6
years)

Young children experience a widening of their social world.

They are expected to assume greater responsibilities for
themselves.
There is also a growing sense of purpose and direction; they
want to try more “grown up” behaviors.
Adults should encourage and support such initiatives so that
children develop a greater sense of purpose and responsibility.
X Children may feel guilty and inadequate about initiating
activities for fear that these may be met with disapproval by
the parents or teachers.
4. Industry vs. Inferiority (middle childhood or
between 6 and 11 years)

Children direct their energy toward mastering

knowledge and intellectual skills.

They begin to engage more seriously in hobbies &

other lessons.
If a child develops his skills and discovers where he can be good at, he
develops a sense of competence and motivation to learn and improve himself
further.

X If the child’s efforts are frequently met with criticism and failure,
then he becomes vulnerable to feelings of inadequacy and inferiority.
5. Identity vs. Role Confusion (adolescence or between 11
and 20 years)

The central task is to establish an identity or a sense of self

in which his past, present and future are integrated.

“Who am I”
Identity crisis is inevitable at this stage, that is,
characterized by intense experimentation with possible
roles, alternative values and lifestyles.

There is an effort to discover his own uniqueness, to be

different from his parents, to cultivate a sense of belonging
with his peers.
The positive outcome is a sense of fidelity, or
commitment to one’s values, ideology, sexuality.

X Adolescents who fail to resolve this issue

experience identity confusion, or a sense of not
knowing who one is or where one is headed.
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation (young adulthood or from 20s to
40s)
This is the time when the person seeks intimacy in a mature
heterosexual relationship.

The positive outcome is the development

of loving and committed relationships.

X A person who cannot commit to on find such a

relationship is at risk to be lonely, isolated or withdrawn.
7. Generativity vs. Stagnation (middle adulthood, or the
40s to the 60s)

Most adults are preoccupied with raising a family, and/ or

establishing themselves in their career.
They develop a concern for the welfare of the future
or younger generations. This takes the form of
parenting, mentoring, teaching.

X Without contributing to the society and the welfare

of the next generation, the individual may find himself
feeling useless, unproductive and stagnant.
8. Integrity vs. Despair (late adulthood or those in their 60s and
beyond)

 This is marked by a gradual decline in physical and cognitive

abilities.

 The elderly is now confronted with their mortality.

The person develops a sense of integrity and wholeness, the virtue of wisdom
and the readiness to face death.

X If the person looks back at his life with regret and sees it a series of missed
opportunities and failures, he will live his final years in despair.
X Alongside a sense of hopelessness that it is too late to recreate their lives, they
fear death.
References:

Feldman, Robert S. (2010) Understanding psychology (9th Ind. Ed.)

McGraw-Hill. Co.Inc.

Santrock, J.W. (2008) Educational Pyschology. 3rd ed.