The Unconscious
Definition
The unconscious refers to the part of our mind that holds thoughts, memories, desires, and experiences that we're not aware of but influence our behavior.
Analogy
Imagine your mind as an iceberg. What you see above water is your conscious mind - what you're currently aware of. But beneath the surface lies a much larger portion - this is your unconscious mind holding all sorts of information you're not actively thinking about but still impacts how you act.
Related terms
Subconscious Mind: This term refers to mental activity just below the level of consciousness. It's not quite in full view but can be accessed with some focus.
Repression: This is a defense mechanism where distressing thoughts are pushed into our unconscious to prevent us from feeling uncomfortable emotions.
Id, Ego & Superego: These are three parts of personality structure according to Freud's psychoanalytic theory. Id operates on pleasure principle unconsciously while ego tries balancing demands from id and superego consciously.
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