Parts of Personality

Definition

According to Sigmund Freud's structural model of personality, there are three parts - Id, Ego and Superego - which work together (or sometimes against each other) to form our behaviors and attitudes.

Related terms

Ego:

Part of personality that mediates among demands of the id, superego, and reality. It operates on the reality principle, satisfying the id's desires in a realistic and socially appropriate way.

Superego:

The part of personality that represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations.

Defense Mechanisms:

These are unconscious strategies that the ego uses to manage conflict between the id and superego.