Abstract
This paper explores the conscious and the unconscious mind according to Sigmund Freud. According to Sigmund Freud, there are three levels of the mind: the preconscious, the conscious and the unconscious. The paper will elaborate further on the difference between the conscious and the preconscious, elaborate on what lies in beneath the surface of the unconscious mind. This study also covers the rise of another psychologist like Jung Carl, supporting Freud’s concept and the unconscious mind (psychoanalysis). It will also include critical evaluation on the bases of psychoanalysis, cognitive psychology, and implicit processing. In correlation to what Freud's theory is about, the paper will also elaborate on the relevance of Freudian unconscious theory to the modern day. Finally, the article will cover the relationship between Freudian theory and cognitive psychology concerning consciousness.
Keywords: conscious, preconscious/subconscious and unconscious.
Analysis
FREUD'S CONCEPT OF THE UNCONSCIOUS FOR UNDERSTANDING HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY.
Introduction
Over the previous decades, Freud's theory on the unconscious has significantly been popular facing a lot of criticism and distortion due to misunderstanding. Nevertheless, Freud's influence on the approach is still enormous and pervasive. He helped us understand things differently with the human investigative thoughts, actions, and interaction. He gave us some definite ideas and way of thinking of the ranges that made no sense to the rational human beings. Some of Freud’s writings, interpretation and theories rise eyebrows to date, due to their compelling nature. There is still much to be learned from Freud (Neu, 1991). According to Neu, there is still much to learn from Freud about the philosophy of mind, moral and social theories. In the 1920s, Freud went a step further and reformulated his argument, he developed his theory by giving it a structural model of psychic. He grouped them as ID- which is the instinct, ego- which the reality and superego- which is the morality. The Id controls our behaviour in the childhood to seek pleasure and the urge to be liked. The ego controlled by the call of knowing the reality, this is developed at the age of 3-4 years old. The superego develops from the urge of socialization, the pressure from parents and guidance and the social context. (De Sousa, 2011)
The three levels of the mind
The conscious mind- part of the mind that contains all the factors that are in real time, like thoughts, memories, feelings, and wishes. It is the part of the mind that we can talk about without necessarily putting any effort in thinking and are aware of (Cherry, 2018).
The unconscious mind- this is the part of the mind that reserves our feeling, thoughts and urges beyond our conscious measures. Most of the contents in this part of the brain are unpleasant as they happen without being evaluated by the conscious mind.
The preconscious mind- this part contains what will potentially be in the conscious mind.
The representation of the three levels of the mind on the iceberg.
Freud merged the three levels and likened them to an iceberg. Comparing to floating ice, the topmost of the iceberg represents the conscious mind. The preconscious likened to the partially submerged part of the iceberg; the part that is submerged but still visible. Finally, the unseen fully submerged iceberg likened to the unconscious.
The Freud’s conscious mind
Clearly understood as the act of awareness of something and being able to call it to memory. The main challenges to the conscious mind are: according to study, only 10% of the human mind work is made up of the conscious mind, in this perspective, the random events created within the mind explained. The conscious mind can address two functions: the ability of the conscious mind to direct focus, the ability of the conscious mind to imagine what is not real. The conscious human mind serves as a scanner, to detect what needed at that particular time. It perceives an event or occurrence, trigger a need to react, depending on the importance of the event secure it in the unconscious or the subconscious mind where readily accessible. (Psyche, 2018)
The Freud’s subconscious mind
The storage point of any lately featured memory that needs a quick recall. The fast memories include our phone number or the name of the person we just met. According to Freud, the subconscious mind serves as the random-access memory (RAM). Thus, a deduction that the unconscious mind observed as the source of dreams and automatic thoughts. Also acts as the repository chamber of the forgotten memories; that may still be available for the conscious mind later, and the knowledge that we are aware of so well that we do without even thinking about them. (Psyche, 2018)
The Freud’s unconscious mind (psychoanalysis).
The unconscious mind is the storage chamber of all our past experiences. These memories are not so important to us and seem forgotten to us. From the forgotten behaviours, this is where our habits and beliefs formed. The unconscious and preconscious are almost alike and deal with similar things. According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, it is in the unconscious mind that one can change an occurrence and behaviour. Among all the Freud's argument, the approach about the unconscious is the most significant contribution to the field of psychology. (Psyche, 2018)
Sigmund Freud founded the psychoanalytic theory. His idea on the three levels of the mind was found controversial and rose so many questions but later had a significant influence on several disciplines including psychology, sociology, anthropology, and literature. He also came up with the Freudian therapy and research methodology that he used to develop his stories. He entirely relied on his observation and case study of his patients when he formed one of his theory of personality development.
The relationship between the conscious and the unconscious mind.
The relationship clearly explained in the Freudian slip. The Freudian slip theory describes how one may slip while talking and mention something else unconsciously. For instance, a guy talks to a girl and call the girl by the ex's name. That is the easiest way to understand the Freudian slip theory. Some of the mistakes like these are unexplainable as they are unconscious. Explaining in different ways, a psychoanalytic may argue that this is due to unresolved feelings with the Ex-girlfriend. Freud's belief in such an occurrence is that while the unconscious mind is not accessible, whatever stored in the unconscious mind might bubble up causing inadvertent slip. (Cherry, 2018)
The relationship between the conscious and the preconscious.
The contents in the conscious mind are those that we are aware. It entails of everything that we can quickly get access. On the other hand, the preconscious mind these are the memories that happened just a while ago but can easily be remembered. The tip of the iceberg can easily be recognized. (Cherry, 2018)
Freudian unconscious relevance in the modern-day consciousness
As from the 20th century, Freud's theory of unconscious is still relevant to the modern world. Despite the approval challenges the approach went through, later on, to be highly appreciated as the pivot point of the behavioural analysis and comprehension. In the modern day, the psychology and neuroscience department still highly appreciate the value of the unconscious world. It provides a source of clarity and motivation that is free-off conceptual confusion. In the unconscious mentality, the consciousness mentality has importance in the further and clear understanding of behaviours. In the principles of psychology by William James, the stated that the mind-stuff theory is the theory that regards the mental state as empirically analyzable compounds in the unconscious mentality. (McNaughton, 1997)
Comparing the Jung and Freud's approach and the collective unconsciousness
As a father of theories, theories on the same unconsciousness has continued to rise. Carl Jung brought two more sources of the unconsciousness. His first did not differ from Freud's perspective. ("Sigmund Freud - Theory of the Unconscious - Exploring your mind," 2018)
The correlation of cognitive psychology and Freudian theory about consciousness.
In decades there have been very few theories comparing to Freud's argument, the relationship between the cognitive and Freud's theory is that they are both in almost all facets of modern psychology. According to Reiser, he stated that no other approach has ever provided an argument conceptually more than Freud's (Reiser, 1984).
Conclusion
In the light, if advancement continually shed, there are more and more theories coming up to support and others to controversy. This paper has dropped enough proof on Freud's theory, elaborating on the three levels of the mind namely: the conscious, the unconscious and the preconscious or the subconscious in today's term. The paper also expounds on: the relationship between the alert and the unconscious mind, the conscious and the preconscious, Freudian unconscious relevance in the modern-day consciousness, Comparing the Jung and Freud’s theory and the collective unconsciousness, and finally, the relationship between the cognitive psychology and Freudian theory to knowledge.
Works cited
Cherry, K. (2018). What Are Freud's 3 Levels of Mind?. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/the-conscious-and-unconscious-mind-2795946
Psyche, J. (2018). Freud’s Model of the Human Mind | Journal Psyche. Retrieved from http://journalpsyche.org/understanding-the-human-mind/
De Sousa, A. (2011). Freudian theory and consciousness: A conceptual analysisFNx08. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3115290/
McNaughton, D. (1997). The Rational and the Moral Order: The Social Roots of Reason and Morality By Baier Kurt Chicago and LaSalle, Illinois: Open Court, xviii + 447. Philosophy, 72(279), 154-158. doi: 10.1017/s0031819100056746
Sigmund Freud - Theory of the Unconscious - Exploring your mind. (2018). Retrieved from https://exploringyourmind.com/sigmund-freud-theory-of-the-unconscious/
