Psychoanalytic Concept

Secondary Narcissism

Secondary narcissism describes the adult's libidinal investment in the self, representing a transformation of the original primary narcissism through object cathexis and subsequent withdrawal. Coined by Freud in his 1914

Primary Narcissism

Primary narcissism describes the infant's original state of total self-absorption, in which the boundaries between self and world remain unclear and the infant experiences itself as the center of the

Narcissistic Supply

Narcissistic supply refers to the psychological sustenance that individuals derive from external sources to maintain their sense of self-worth and internal cohesion. Coined by psychoanalyst Otto Kernberg, this concept describes

Secondary Process

Secondary process thinking represents the mature, reality-tested mode of mental functioning characteristic of the ego. Where primary process operates on wish-fulfillment and ignores time and causation, secondary process involves logical

Primary Process

Primary process thinking represents the mode of mental functioning characteristic of the id, operating outside conscious awareness according to the pleasure principle. This primitive thought process differs radically from logical,

Structural Model

The structural model represents Freud's mature theory of mental apparatus, proposing three major systems—the id, ego, and superego—that interact in complex ways to determine personality and behavior. This model, developed

Reality Principle

The reality principle represents the ego's capacity to postpone immediate gratification in favor of realistic, long-term satisfaction. Where the pleasure principle demands immediate tension reduction, the reality principle governs the

Pleasure Principle

Pleasure Principle: The Quest for Immediate Satisfaction The pleasure principle represents the fundamental motivational principle of the psychic apparatus, governing the id's demand for immediate gratification of instinctual needs. This

Ego Ideal

The ego ideal represents the internalized image of perfection—the standards of excellence and goodness toward which the individual strives. As a component of the superego, it derives from parental and

Superego

The superego represents one of the three components of Freud's structural model of the psyche, functioning as the internalized moral conscience and ideal self that develops through childhood socialization. While