Sigmund Freud's Theory of the Id, Ego and Superego

The id, ego, and super-ego are the three distinct, interacting agents in the psychic apparatus defined in Austrian neurologist, Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche. These three agents are theoretical constructs that describe the activities and interactions of the mental life of a person. Developing at different stages of life, the agents play separate roles in personality, but work together to form a whole, and contribute to an individuals’ behaviour. While the id, ego, and superego are often referred to as structures, they are purely psychological, and do not exist physically in the brain.

Freud’s work was not based on empirical research, but on his observations and case studies of his patients and others. Due to this, his ideas are often viewed with skepticism. Nonetheless, Freud was an enormously prolific thinker, and his theories are still considered important. In fact, his concepts and theories are the very foundation of psychoanalysis: an approach to psychology that is still greatly studied today. Interestingly, Freud is still considered by many to be the father of psychiatry. (Journal Psyche)
Overall, Freud's personality theory was influenced by earlier ideas about the mind working at conscious and unconscious levels. Freud believed that early childhood experiences are filtered through the id, ego, and superego, and that it is the way in which an individual handles these experiences, both consciously and unconsciously, that shapes personality in adulthood. (Vinney, C)

The earliest part of the personality to emerge is the id. This part is present at birth, and runs on pure instinct, desire, and need. It is entirely unconscious and encompasses the most primitive part of the personality, including basic biological drives and reflexes.
The id is motivated by the pleasure principle, which wants to gratify all impulses immediately. If the id's needs are not met, it creates tension. However, because all desires cannot be fulfilled right away, such needs may be satisfied, at least temporarily, through primary process thinking in which the individual fantasises about what they desire.
Newborns’ behaviour is driven by the id - they are concerned only with meeting their needs. In addition, the id never grows up. Throughout life, it remains infantile, because, as an unconscious entity, it never considers reality. As a result, it remains illogical and selfish. At a later stage, the ego and the superego develop to keep the id in check.

The second part of the personality, the ego, arises from the id. Its job is to acknowledge and handle reality, ensuring that the id’s impulses are reigned in and expressed in ways that are socially acceptable.
The ego operates from the reality principle, which works to satisfy the id’s desires in the most reasonable and realistic ways. It may do so by delaying gratification, compromising, or anything else that will avoid the negative consequences of going against society’s norms and rules.
Such rational thinking is referred to as secondary process thinking. It is geared towards problem-solving and reality-testing, enabling the person to maintain self-control. However, just like the id, the ego is interested in seeking pleasure. The only difference is that the ego wants to do so in a realistic way. It is not interested in the concepts of right and wrong, but in how to maximise pleasure and minimise pain without facing consequence.
Operating at conscious, preconscious, and unconscious levels, the ego's consideration of reality is conscious. However, it may also keep forbidden desires hidden by unconsciously repressing them. Much of the ego’s functioning is also preconscious, meaning that it happens below awareness but takes little effort to bring those thoughts into consciousness.
Freud initially used the term ego to reference one’s sense of self. Often, when the term is used in everyday conversation - such as when someone is said to have a 'big ego' - it is still used in this sense. Yet, the term ego in Freud’s theory of personality is no longer referring to the self-concept, but to functions like judgment, regulation, and control.

The superego is the final part of the personality, emerging between the ages of three and five - the phallic stage in Freud’s stages of psychosexual development. The superego is the moral compass of the personality, upholding a sense of right and wrong. These values are initially learned from one’s parents. However, the superego continues to grow over time, enabling children to adopt moral standards from other people that they admire, such as teachers and celebrity idols.
This agent consists of two components: the conscious and the ego ideal. The conscious is the part of the superego that forbids unacceptable behaviours, and punishes with feelings of guilt when the individual gives submits to their id's most insufferable desires. The ego ideal, or ideal self, includes the rules and standards of good behaviour that one should adhere to. If one is successful in doing so, it leads to feelings of pride. However, if the standards of the ego ideal are too high, the person may feel like a failure, and experience guilt.
Not only does the superego try to control the id and its impulses towards societal taboos, like sex and aggression, it also attempts to get the ego to go beyond realistic standards and aspire to moralistic ones. The superego works at both conscious and unconscious levels. People are often aware of their ideas of right and wrong, but sometimes these ideals impact people unconsciously.

The id, ego, and superego interact constantly. Ultimately, though, it is the ego that serves as the mediator between the id, the superego, and reality. The ego must determine how to meet the needs of the id, while upholding social reality and the moral standards of the superego.
A healthy personality is the result of a balance between the id, ego, and superego. A lack of balance leads to difficulties. If a person’s id dominates their personality, they may act on their impulses without considering the rules of society. This can cause them to live without the ability to control themselves, which can lead to legal troubles. If the superego dominates, the person can become rigidly moralistic, negatively judging anyone who does not meet their standards. Finally, if the ego becomes dominant, it can lead to an individual who is so tied to the rules and norms of society that they become inflexible, unable to deal with change, and incapable of coming to a personal concept of right and wrong.

Many critiques have been leveled at Freud’s theory of personality. For example, the idea that the id is the dominant component of personality is considered problematic, especially Freud’s emphasis on unconscious drives and reflexes, such as the sexual drive. This perspective is believed by some to minimise and oversimplify the intricacies of human nature.
Alfred Adler, a former student of Freud, developed his own approach, known as individual psychology. He believed feelings of inferiority and striving for significance to be the motivating forces of human life. Thus, he rejected Freud's emphasis on biological drives, primarily sexual desire, as the primary source of motivation. (Tanabe, R)
Additionally, Freud believed that the superego emerges in childhood because children fear harm and punishment. However, research has shown that children whose greatest fear is punishment only appear to develop morals, and that their real motivation is to avoid getting caught and prevent harm. Some say that a sense of morality actually develops when a child experiences love, and wants to keep it. To do so, they engage in behaviour that exemplifies their parents’ morals and, therefore, will gain their approval.
Despite these criticisms, Freud’s ideas about the id, the ego, and the superego have been, and continue to be, highly influential in the field of psychology.





Despite first impressions, a vast majority of films containing three or more characters are capable of having Freud's theory applied correctly to them in some manner. In order to provide evidence for this, I shall be applying the theory to three scenes from Shaun of the Dead (2004), as its presence is nowhere near as evident as it is films that appear to be deliberately constructed around it, such as Fight Club (1999) or The Dark Knight (2008). In some ways, even those who appreciate director Edgar Wright's level of detail in films, may see this film to be nothing more than a highly enjoyable, British horror comedy. However, the film uses a wide range of cinema techniques, including Freud's theory of the id, ego and superego.

The film is set in London, following the character of Shaun, an aimless electronics salesman who is disrespected by his colleagues, does not get along well with his stepfather, Philip, and is dumped by his girlfriend, Liz. However, his uneventful life is changed dramatically when a zombie apocalypse overwhelms London, forcing Shaun to single-handedly keep his family and friends as safe as possible from the hoards of the undead.
Directed by Edgar Wright in 2004, the film is considered by many to be the best comedy involving zombies, or in other cases, the best horror comedy of all time. It is classed as the first entry into the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy (or the Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy) of films, followed by Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World's End (2013).




Before analysing the first of three scenes from the film, it would be wise to explain the personalities of the three characters included, so that they are actually proven to be the components that they have been assigned as within the story.
Ed, the id, is a indolent, unkempt layabout whose only priorities are leisure, such as playing video games, and drinking in the local pub known as The Winchester, whilst Shaun and Pete go out to work in order to make a living. His disheveled appearance and ignorant attitude represent Shaun's youth, as Ed is constantly trying to convince his friend to unwind more often.
Shaun, the ego, is stuck in a position between his id and superego. One on hand, he wants to remain young, which he feels when spending time with Ed and his mother; whilst one the other hand, he wants to please his girlfriend Liz by acting as a functioning member of society, which he looks to Pete as an inspiration, and Philip as a setter of rules and regulations. Throughout the film, Shaun is constantly conflicted between what the other two agents want for him.
Pete, the superego, respects Shaun in some ways, as he knows that Shaun is capable of acting maturely, and making something of his life when he puts his mind to it. The superego also knows when Shaun has followed the id for too long at a time, and so is there to pull Shaun back in order to stop him from becoming exactly like Ed.

The first scene reliable enough to be studied would be the one of Shaun and Ed listening to electro music at four in the morning, before Pete confronts them both angrily, for he is trying to sleep. This piece of the story takes place after Liz breaks up with Shaun, and so he, along with Ed, visit The Winchester, and then return home late at night whilst drunk.
At the beginning of the scene, Shaun and Ed are filmed close together as they dance along to music playing from a vinyl record. The fact that there is little physical space between the two of them reinforces the strength of Ed's influence on Shaun. Afterwards, Pete storms in, grabs the vinyl record, and throws it out through a window. The act of Pete attempting to destroy the record demonstrates his want to silence the things that enable Shaun to relate to his id. In this case, Shaun claims the record is the second album that he ever bought, meaning that it serves as an item of irresponsible and irreplaceable youth, which Ed is best known for.

A very important aspect of this scene is the clothes that Shaun is wearing. Unlike Ed, Shaun is wearing a work uniform consisting of a white shirt, red tie, and name tag. This attire represents the morals and values of the superego, as it makes Shaun look like a man who acts professionally and takes his job seriously. However, Shaun is also wearing a baseball cap positioned with the peak facing backwards to the left. An identical hat can be seen on Ed's head, worn in exactly the same position. The reason for this is for a part of Shaun to reflect the persona of the id, as Ed wishes for his friend to stop caring about society, and live as if he were young once again. Most fully-grown men do not wear hats in such a way, and so the two are presented as teenagers. When worn together, the smart uniform and informal hat show that Shaun is being torn between his id and superego, as he attempts to please both of them equally.

Once Shaun complains about Pete's action of throwing out his record, Pete stands to face Shaun head-on. Meanwhile, Ed's face is hovering above his friend's right shoulder. The positions of the characters at this time are extremely important, as the superego is viewed by the ego directly, as if Shaun is looking up to Pete, who informs him of responsibilities as an adult. In the case of Ed, the id is stood beside his friend as a constant reminder that the desires and wants of the ego are always present, even if they are not being viewed directly at the time.
It is also important to know that Shaun, Ed and Pete all live together in the same house, creating the metaphor of them all being parts of the same mind. Shaun needs the two of them in order for him to live properly, as he always requires a balance of influence from the id and the superego. This way, he is able to enjoy leisure time as much as did when in his youth, as well as just about cope with making it through each day of work from start to finish.

After Pete throws a tantrum, Shaun apologies to him, demonstrating the ego's natural wish to please the superego. In order to explain his state, Shaun says 'We split up with Liz tonight'. The key word in this statement is the pronoun 'We', as it bonds both the ego and the id together as if they are the same person. Naturally, Shaun was in a relationship with Liz, which Ed obviously had no place in. Ed was not present when Liz separated herself from Shaun, and only revealed himself in order to make Shaun feel as though Liz was not meant for him anyway. Ed's words, along with the help of alcohol, indicate that the id wants the ego all to itself. Shaun's use of the pronoun 'we' make it seem that the id's main goal is becoming easier to obtain. However, the superego manages to push the id back, as Pete tells Shaun to sort his life out, and that Ed only holds him back. At the end of the scene, the superego, having finished its job, leaves. Straight after, the id, now characterised by a defeated look on its face, disappears of screen, and the ego pulls its baseball cap of its head, presenting the fact that the superego has won.





As with the first scene, the characters within the second should also have their personalities detailed beforehand, in order for them to be accurately linked to their assigned components of the id, ego and superego.
Barbara, Shaun's mother, fits the criteria of the id in the second scene. The id is always placing its own needs and desires before others, and while Barbara does not act in the traditional manner, she serves as a means to fulfil Shaun, the ego's needs. It is made quite clear that Barbara still does not fully see her son as a responsible adult, and so, in some ways, she treats him with unconditional love, as if he were still the same child that she raised years before. Examples of this include calling Shaun 'pickle' in a saccharine manner, cleaning a spot of 'red' off him, and not wanting to 'worry' her son by informing him that she was bitten by an infected person. By doing this, she constantly feeds the childlike half that dwells within Shaun, acting, along with Ed, as another hand holding him back from reaching his superego component any further.
Shaun is, of course, the ego once again, and so will not be explained in terms of personality, since such information can be found earlier within this essay.
Philip, Shaun's stepfather, is seen as the superego within this scene. Although Shaun does not necessarily look up to Philip as he does to Pete, Philip reveals to his stepson that what Shaun originally thought were acts of cruelty, were simple means for Shaun to stay strong after he lost his real father, and that Philip always loved and believed in Shaun to do well in life, claiming that he was only providing motivation. This explains that Philip simply wished for Shaun to be more responsible, painting Philip as an enforcer of rules that he believed were for the greater good in terms of his stepson's attitude towards life. Earlier in the film, Philip reminds Shaun to bring flowers for Barbara the next time that he comes to visit. In the scene analysed in the following paragraphs, Philip even states that he took some of Shaun's toys to the rubbish tip, which can be interpreted as Philip destroying a piece of Shaun's childish irresponsibility that he always wishes to keep with him.

The second scene consists of Shaun and Ed driving to Barbara and Philip's house in order to take Shaun's mother to The Winchester before eliminating the stepfather due to him being infected, and because of Shaun's attitude of distaste towards Philip. Ed remains seated in the car that they parked on the driveway, while Shaun is let into the house by his mother. However, Shaun's entrance is not actually shown, as after he trips over on the driveway, the camera cuts to a quick zoom of his finger pushing the doorbell, before the next frame immediately presents Barbara smiling at Shaun and greeting him warmly with 'Hello, pickle'. The fact that the Barbara is presented in an instant by showing unconditional love for her son through her greeting, followed by a hug and the act of cleaning a spot of red off Shaun's neck, demonstrates her immediate need to coddle her son, much to his satisfaction. In addition, afterwards, Barbara takes Shaun straight through the house to the kitchen, which represents her domestic persona of motherhood, before trying to ensure that Shaun will eat her food by making sandwiches even though he says that he is not hungry.
In contrast to Barbara's instant appearance, Philip is presented significantly slower as the camera follows Shaun carefully approaching his armchair from behind. Although part of Shaun's cautiousness is due to his need to kill his stepfather, the careful, enduring camera tracking of Shaun pictures Philip as a force that has frightened Shaun since they first met. Shaun sees Philip as too much of a threat to the id that is his mother, and so he feels the need to destroy the superego that is his stepfather in order to have the agent that he prefers overall to himself.

Stood behind Philip, Shaun raises the cricket bat that he is holding as a weapon, over his head. Ready to swing the bat heavily down onto to Philip's head, he quietly says 'I'm so sorry, Philip', indicating that Shaun does at least have some respect for his superego, even if he does not want to. Much to Shaun's surprise, Philip speaks, asking the simple question 'Why?', startling Shaun. Philip then asks 'What have you done now?', instantly assuming that Shaun has done something wrong, as Philip is constantly suspicious of Shaun misbehaving, as if he were still a schoolboy. Shaun then attempts to hide the cricket bat from Philip by holding it behind his back with both hands. This pose, along with Shaun's roguish response of 'Nothing' even visually presents Shaun as a schoolboy who is attempting to make themselves look innocent when in trouble with their parents. A few moments later, Barbara enters the room and tells Shaun that some of his toys are upstairs, to which Philip says that he disposed of them at the rubbish tip. Further presenting himself as childlike when with his mother, Shaun looks at Philip and moans 'Ah, what?', which shows that Shaun may result to whining when not getting his way due to his parents' decisions.

Following on from Shaun's childish remark, Barbara reveals to Philip that she has called a doctor to come to the house in order to examine his illness. The two partners then become engaged in a small argument. Philip declines the need for a doctor, stating that he feels perfectly fine, and that the situation happening outside is all being blown out of proportion by news reporters. On the other hand, Barbara claims that he should see a doctor 'just to be on the safe side', as she is clearly worried about him, demonstrating that she may somewhat serve as an id for her husband as well as her son, even if Philip refuses to accept it. This short quarrel is presented through a shot reverse shot technique by having the camera show Philip alone on the right-hand side of the screen while looking at the left (at Barbara), and then showing Barbara alone on the left-hand side of the screen while looking at the right (at Philip), before repeating the process. Occasionally, however, Shaun is shown for brief periods of time alone in the middle of the screen, directing his gaze from one character to the other, almost as if he is pondering the question of who to listen to. Once again, Shaun is presented as a small child - in this case, by being caught in between two parents arguing with each other, making the child feel as though they should take sides.





Once more, the characters within the third and final scene shall be explained in order to justify the Freudian components that they have been assigned. In this case, however, the only included character that has not been detailed is Shaun's girlfriend, Liz, since both Shaun and Ed's personalities of the ego and the id have been explored in the analysis of the first film scene.
Liz undertakes the role of Shaun's superego not only in the final scene, but mainly throughout the whole film. She places herself aside Ed in order to force Shaun to decide who he wants more in life, leading to her dumping him just before the first scene analysed, as she believed that he preferred to please his id over his superego. By wanting Shaun to herself most of the time, she represents a concept of responsibility and commitment, only wanting to be with Shaun if he stops acting childishly and inattentively by treating her with the love and respect that he has for her deep down, but struggles to present due to his constant need to fulfil the wishes of his id.

The third and final scene is of Shaun and Liz living together in his house, with an infected Ed being kept in the garden shed. It appears to be set some time after the zombie apocalypse, since at the end of the previous scene, Shaun and Liz are rescued from The Winchester by the military. In addition, the current scene begins with Liz switching through television channels which appear to show the world not only making light of the apocalypse through comical entertainment, but also using it as an advantage, due to 'the fact that the mobile deceased retained their primal instincts make them ideal recruitment for the service industry'. At this point, the television shows an infected worker returning supermarket trolleys to their huts, whilst being kept on a chain. This links back to the opening credits in which many people together are seen in public, tiredly repeating basic actions - such as checking their phones and walking - in sync with most individuals around them. The purpose of this is to represent the monotonous drone of life, as in some ways, these people were zombies to begin with, and are still not free from the chains of society even when undead. Overall, this shows that in terms of a national scale, nothing has truly changed in life.

After Liz switches the television off, Shaun walks in and sits down on the sofa next to her, before giving her a kiss on the cheek, indicating that they are indeed together as life partners. In terms of surroundings, the living room appears different as opposed to its original state. At first, it was messy and unkempt due to the lazy Ed, whilst consisting entirely of objects that can be associated with Shaun's desire to stay young and irresponsible. However, the current appearance is a slight mixture of both Shaun and Liz's preferences. While Liz has decorated the room with a cabinet, framed pictures, a house plant, sofa blankets, pillows and a tuffet, Shaun still has a certain music poster in its same place on the wall, and has kept the television in the exact same place. Furthermore, he is keeping an infected Ed chained in the garden shed, which is where he goes to play video games with his friend, before the credits role. Ultimately, this gives off the impression that Shaun has received the best of two worlds: that of his id and that of his superego. Since, he needs both to cope with life, he has finally found the perfect mix of the two, enabling him to act more responsibly, whilst still being able to retain certain aspects of his childhood.

Upon sitting down next to Liz, Shaun asks her 'What's the plan, then?', to which she responds with a list of activities that appeal to both of them. Afterwards, Liz says that she will 'get the kettle on' to make cups of tea, and Shaun asks 'Can I have two sugars, please?', before awaiting her approval when telling her that he 'might pop into the garden for a bit' to give Ed a quick visit. From this sequence, it seems apparent that Liz has almost undertaken the role of Shaun's mother through her actions of telling Shaun what to do for the day, making him tea, and allowing him to see Ed. Additionally, from the point in which Shaun enters the living room to sit down beside Liz, the camera slowly zooms in on the two of them, before only moving closer to Shaun once Liz leaves to make the tea. This cinematography is reminiscent to horror films, as the camera may linger whilst gently zooming to show the audience that nothing is quite what it seems. With the world moving on from the apocalypse as if nothing happened, it would appear that Shaun has actually not changed either. Throughout the whole film, it was evident that Shaun was the ego, childhood was his id, and responsibility was his superego. Due to what Shaun experienced during the apocalypse, such as killing Barbara, one may assume that he would follow his id much less afterwards. However, due to loosing both Pete and Philip, as well as holding onto Ed despite his infectious state, the film does not necessarily have a happy ending. In conclusion, the world does not change, and Shaun does not grow as a person, meaning that nothing has actually changed.





Journey Psyche. "The Freudian Theory of Personality | Journal Psyche", Viewed on 9th December, http://journalpsyche.org/the-freudian-theory-of-personality/#more-191

Tanabe, R. (2017) New World Encyclopedia "Ego, superego, and id - New World Encyclopedia", Viewed on 9th December, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Ego,_superego,_and_id&oldid=1006853

Vinney, C. (2019) ThoughtCo "Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego Explained", Viewed on 9th December, https://www.thoughtco.com/id-ego-and-superego-4582342