Question No 1: How did Sigmund Freud divide the human psyche or mind, and what are the three layers he identified?
Answer: Freud divided the human psyche into three layers: the conscious mind (the surface), the subconscious mind (the middle layer), and the unconscious mind (the bottom layer).
Question No 2: What does the conscious mind represent, and what proportion of our mental life does it occupy?
Answer: The conscious mind is like the tip of an iceberg, representing the surface of our awareness. It occupies only one-tenth of our total mental life, containing ideas, thoughts, and images we are currently aware of.
Question No 3: What does the subconscious mind store, and how can information from it be brought to consciousness?
Answer: The subconscious mind stores information just beneath awareness, which can be easily brought to consciousness when needed. It holds knowledge gained through experiences or training.
Question No 4: Describe the significance of the unconscious mind according to Freud and its influence on behavior.
Answer: The unconscious mind is the most critical part of our psyche, housing repressed wishes, desires, and motives. These hidden elements often influence our behavior, sometimes in disguised forms, and psychotherapists seek to bring them to consciousness for understanding.
Question No 5: What are the three components of personality in Freud's theory, and what is the primary function of the id?
Answer: Freud's personality theory includes the id, ego, and superego. The id is present from birth and operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification of desires.
Question No 6: How does the ego differ from the id in personality, and what is its role in dealing with reality?
Answer: The ego is responsible for dealing with reality and develops from the id. It balances the id's impulses with the reality principle, ensuring that desires are expressed in socially acceptable ways. It functions in both the conscious and unconscious mind.
