Ego Psychology

Ego psychology is a school of psychoanalysis which is based on Sigmund Freud’s structure of personality which is composed of the id (pleasure principle), ego (reality principle), and superego (perfection principle). Other psychoanalytic theorists elaborated on the functions of the ego, its strengthening, and how its impairment can lead to mental illness. Ego psychology facilitates psychoanalytic treatment by effective regulation of the reality principle in relation to the environment. For instance, it’s a weekend and you really want to attend a party (id: pleasure) but you also need to review for a quiz (superego: perfection). A healthy ego may be able to balance the two opposing forces by first reviewing for 2 hours then attending the party afterwards.