Sigmund Freud was an Austrian physician whose influence on psychology is still felt today. Freud developed his theory by treating people with emotional problems using hypnosis, and later, a process known as free association. From his therapeutic work with these patients, Freud began to formulate a theory of behavior that centered on childhood experiences and fantasies. Over time, Freud developed an elaborate theory of personality and an accompanying approach to therapy called psychoanalysis.

CONSCIOUS LEVEL The conscious level is the level on which all of our thought processes operate. Anything that is thought, perceived or understood resides in this conscious level.

PRE-CONSCIOUS LEVEL The pre-conscious level includes memories and thoughts which may threaten at any moment to break into the conscious level. These memories and thoughts are easily recalled, and may strongly influence the conscious processes.

UNCONSCIOUS LEVEL Contains the wishes, urges, memories and thoughts which represent the bulk of the individual's past experiences. These impulses and memories threaten to debilitate or destabilize the mind if they reached the conscious level and are thus repressed by the mind.

Functions in the irrational and emotional part of the mind. The Id is the primitive mind. It contains all the basic needs and feelings, including sex and aggression. It is the source for libido (psychic energy). It has only one rule --> the pleasure principle: � I want it and I want it all now. The Id is selfish and typically wants immediate gratification.

Functions with the rational part of the mind. The Ego develops out of growing awareness that you can’t always get what you want. The Ego relates to the real world and operates via the reality principle. The Ego’s job is to satisfy the Id on accordance with reality. The Ego realizes the need for compromise and negotiates between the Id and the Superego. The Ego's job is to get the Id's pleasures but to be reasonable and bear the long-term consequences in mind. The Ego denies both instant gratification and pious delaying of gratification.

The Superego is the last part of the mind to develop. It might be called the moral part of the mind. The Superego becomes an embodiment of parental and societal values. It stores and enforces rules. It constantly strives for perfection, even though this perfection ideal may be quite far from reality or possibility. Its power to enforce rules comes from its ability to create anxiety.