Chapter 2    Freud: Psychoanalysis59
fei75766_ch02_019-071.indd 59  02/19/20 08:59 AMtoas“extended consciousness.” Thebrain stem, andtheascending activating system in
particular, isthepartofthebrain most directly associated withcoreconsciousness, or
unconsciousness inthesense ofnotbeing awake. Forinstance, comas come from dam-
agetothisregion ofthebrain stemandrender aperson unconscious. Incontrast, being 
aware andabletoreflect onone’s knowledge andselfismore afunction ofactivity in
theprefrontal cortex (thedorsal frontal cortex) (Solms, 2004; Solms &Turnbull, 2002).
Moreover, amajor theme ofcognitive psychology overthelast20years has
been thephenomenon ofnonconscious mental processing, orwhat isreferred toas
“implicit,” “nonconscious,” or“automatic” thought andmemory (Bargh &Chartrand, 
1999; Schacter, 1987). Bythis,cognitive psychologists arereferring tomental pro-
cesses thatareneither inawareness norunder intentional control, andthereby come 
close toFreud’s definition ofunconscious. Ofcourse, Freud’s concept oftheuncon -
scious wasmore dynamic, repressive, andinhibiting, but—as weseenext— cognitive 
neuroscience isuncovering asimilar kindofunconscious.
Pleasure and the Id, Inhibition and the Ego
Findings from many different neuroscientific programs ofresearch haveestablished 
thatthepleasure-seeking drives havetheirneurological origins intwobrain structures, 
namely, thebrain stem andthelimbic system (Solms, 2004; Solms &Panksepp, 2012; 
Solms &Turnbull, 2002). Moreover, theneurotransmitter dopamine ismost centrally 
involved inmost pleasure-seeking behaviors. InFreud’s language, these arethedrives 
andinstincts oftheid.
More recent research isproviding fascinating nuance toourunderstanding ofhow
thebrain experiences thedrives andinstincts oftheid.Neuroscientist JaakPanksepp 
(2004) andpsychologist Kent Berridge (2009) havespent decades exploring thereward 
programs inourbrains. Thiswork haspinpointed twoimportant neurotransmitters that
areinvolved intheid’sperpetual pleasure seeking: dopamine andtheopioids (such 
asendorphins). Thedopamine system isassociated withtheid’sseeking orwanting 
tendencies (gimme!), whereas theopioid system isinvolved inthepleasure weexperi -
encewhen theidissatisfied (ahhh!). Thetwosystems work intandem. Theseeking 
system notonlymakes usgetupandgointhemorning, andurges ustogofindfoodand
friends, butalsodraws ustoourcomputer togoogle endlessly various curiosities, orto
oursmart phone tocheck whether ourFacebook update hasreceived commentary. The
liking system allows ustoexperience satisfaction when we’ve found whatwesought. 
Buteventhough theywork intandem, Berridge argues thatthese areunbalanced sys-
tems. Ourbrain ismore “stingy” when itcomes topleasure thandesire, which makes 
evolutionary sense. Iftheidwereeasily satisfied, wewould allbelyingaround happily 
unmotivated, butprobably soondead. ThisiswhyPanksepp saysthatseeking isthe
master motivator, confirming Freud’s notion oftheid’sprimeval force, driving usto
keepseeking afterthatsmall doseofpleasure. Twitter anyone?
In1923, when Freud modified hisviewofhowthemind works andproposed 
thestructural viewofid,ego,andsuperego, theegobecame astructure thatwas
mostly unconscious, butwhose main function wastoinhibit drives. Ifthepartof
thebrain thatfunctions toinhibit impulses anddrives isdamaged, weshould seean
increase intheid-based pleasure-seeking impulses. Thatisprecisely what happens 
when thefrontal-limbic system isdamaged. Many casestudies andmore systematic Final PDF to printer