Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Demands refer to the desires and needs that arise from the unconscious mind, particularly from the id. These can include basic biological urges, such as hunger or thirst, as well as emotional and psychological needs.
The id is the primitive part of the personality that operates on the pleasure principle. It seeks immediate gratification of desires without considering consequences.
The reality principle is associated with the ego, which operates based on rationality and reason. It mediates between the demands of the id and superego by taking into account external reality factors such as social norms and consequences.