Sigmund Freud's theory of personality

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the founder of psychoanalysis, developed various models to explain the human personality throughout his literary career.

In this article we will analyze Freud's 5 theories about personality: topographic, dynamic, economic, genetic and structural.

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Sigmund Freud's 5 theories of personality

Although there are certain contradictions between the personality models created by Freud, in general can be conceived as complementary theories or as updates and developments of various fundamental concepts, for example drives or defense mechanisms. Let's go what each of these theories consists of.

1. Topographic model

Freud developed the topographic model during the early stage of his career. It was originally described in one of his key works: "The Interpretation of Dreams", published in 1900. This theory about personality is also known as "First Topic".

The topographic model divides the mind into three "regions": the unconscious, the preconscious and the conscious

. In each of these places, which must be understood symbolically, we would find different contents and psychological processes.

The unconscious is the deepest level of the mind. In it are hidden thoughts, impulses, memories and fantasies that are very difficult to access from consciousness. This part of the mind is directed by the pleasure principle and the primary processes (condensation and displacement), and psychic energy circulates freely.

The preconscious mind acts as a junction point between the other two sections.. It is made up of memory traces in verbal format; in this case, it is possible to know the contents from consciousness through the focus of attention.

Finally, consciousness is understood as a system with an intermediary role between the deepest regions of the psyche and the outside world. Cognition, motor skills and interaction with the environment depend on the conscious mind, which is governed by the reality principle instead of pleasure, in the same way as the preconscious.

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2. Dynamic model

The concept "dynamic" refers to a conflict between two forces that occurs in the mind: impulses ("instinctual" forces), which seek gratification, and defenses, which seek to inhibit to the above. From the result of this interaction, psychological processes arise, which suppose a more or less satisfactory or adaptive resolution of conflicts.

In this model, Freud conceives of psychopathological symptoms as compromise formations that allow a partial gratification of impulses while causing discomfort, acting as a punishment against the behavior of person. In this way mental health would largely depend on the quality of defenses and self-sanctions.

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3. Economic model

The fundamental concept of the economic model of personality is that of "drive", which can be defined as an impulse that favors the person seeking a specific end. These drives have a biological origin (specifically, they are related to body tension) and their objective is the suppression of unpleasant physiological states.

Within this model we actually find three different theories, developed between 1914 and 1920 in the books “Introduction to Narcissism” and “Beyond the Pleasure Principle”. Initially Freud distinguished between the sexual or reproductive drive, which leads to the survival of the species, and self-preservation, focused on that of the individual himself.

Later Freud added to this theory the distinction between object drives, directed at external objects, and those of the narcissistic type, which focus on oneself. Finally, he proposed the dichotomy between the life drive, which would include the previous two, and the death drive, harshly criticized by many of this author's followers.

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4. Genetic model

The best known Freudian theory of personality is the genetic model, in which the five phases of psychosexual development are described. According to this theory, human behavior is largely governed by the seeking gratification (or stress relief) in relation to the erogenous zones of the body, whose importance depends on age.

During the first year of life, the oral phase takes place, in which the behavior is centered in the mouth; thus, babies tend to bite and suck on objects in order to investigate them and obtain pleasure. In the second year, the main erogenous zone is the year, so the little ones of this age are very focused on excretion; this is why Freud speaks of the "anal phase."

The next stage is the phallic phase, which occurs between 3 and 5 years; during this period the famous Oedipus and castration complexes take place. Between 6 years and puberty, libido is repressed and learning and cognitive development are prioritized (latency phase); Finally, with adolescence comes the genital phase, which signals sexual maturity.

Psychopathology, more specifically neurosis, is understood as the result of the frustration of the satisfaction of the characteristic needs of these periods of development, or of the total or partial psychological fixation on one of them due to an excess of gratification during the stage review.

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5. Structural model

Freud's personality theory was proposed in 1923 in the book The I and the It. Like the genetic model, the structural one is particularly well known; in this case, the separation of the mind in three instances that develop throughout childhood: the id, the ego and the superego. The conflicts between these would give rise to psychopathological symptoms.

The most basic part of the mind is the id, composed of unconscious representations of related drives sexuality and aggression, as well as memory traces of the gratifying experiences of these impulses.

The I is conceived as a development of the Id. This structure has a regulatory role in psychological life: it evaluates the ways of satisfying the impulses taking into account the demands of the environment, works with both unconscious and conscious contents, and it is in this part of the mind that the mechanisms of defending.

Finally, the superego acts as a moral conscience, censoring certain mental contents, such as supervisor of the rest of the instances and as a role model (that is, it supposes a kind of “I ideal"). This structure is formed through the internalization of social norms, in which the Oedipus complex plays an essential role.

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