Chapter 2    Freud: Psychoanalysis29
fei75766_ch02_019-071.indd 29  02/19/20 08:59 AMphylogenetic endowment (Freud, 1917/1963, 1933/1964). Freud’s notion of
phylogenetic endowment isquite similar toCarlJung’s concept ofthecollective 
unconscious (seeChapter 4).However, oneimportant difference exists between the
twoconcepts. Whereas Jungplaced primary emphasis onthecollective unconscious, 
Freud relied onthenotion ofinherited dispositions onlyasalastresort. Thatis,
when explanations builtonindividual experiences werenotadequate, Freud would 
turntotheideaofcollectively inherited experiences tofillinthegapsleftbyindi-
vidual experiences. Later wewillseethatFreud usedtheconcept ofphylogenetic 
endowment toexplain several important concepts, suchastheOedipus complex and
castration anxiety.
Unconscious drives mayappear inconsciousness, butonlyafterundergoing 
certain transformations. Aperson mayexpress either erotic orhostile urges, for
example, byteasing orjoking withanother person. Theoriginal drive (sexoraggres -
sion) isthusdisguised andhidden from theconscious minds ofbothpersons. The
unconscious ofthefirstperson, however, hasdirectly influenced theunconscious of
thesecond. Both people gainsome satisfaction ofeither sexual oraggressive urges, 
butneither isconscious oftheunderlying motive behind teasing orjoking. Thus the
unconscious mind ofoneperson cancommunicate withtheunconscious ofanother 
without either person being aware oftheprocess.
Unconscious, ofcourse, doesnotmean inactive ordormant. Forces inthe
unconscious constantly strive tobecome conscious, andmany ofthem succeed, 
although theymaynolonger appear intheiroriginal form. Unconscious ideas can
anddomotivate people. Forexample, ason’s hostility toward hisfather maymas-
querade itself intheform ofostentatious affection. Inanundisguised form, thehos-
tilitywould create toomuch anxiety fortheson.Hisunconscious mind, therefore, 
motivates himtoexpress hostility indirectly through anexaggerated show ofloveand
flattery. Because thedisguise must successfully deceive theperson, itoften takes an
opposite form from theoriginal feelings, butitisalmost always overblown andosten -
tatious. (This mechanism, called areaction formation, isdiscussed laterinthesection 
titled Defense Mechanisms.)
Preconscious
Thepreconscious levelofthemind contains allthose elements thatarenotconscious 
butcanbecome conscious either quite readily orwithsome difficulty (Freud, 
1933/1964).
Thecontents ofthepreconscious come from twosources, thefirstofwhich 
isconscious perception. What aperson perceives isconscious foronlyatransitory 
period; itquickly passes intothepreconscious when thefocus ofattention shifts to
another idea.These ideas thatalternate easily between being conscious andprecon -
scious arelargely freefrom anxiety andinreality aremuch more similar tothecon-
scious images thantotheunconscious urges.
Thesecond source ofpreconscious images istheunconscious. Freud believed 
thatideas canslippastthevigilant censor andenter intothepreconscious ina
disguised form. Some ofthese images never become conscious because ifwerecog -
nized them asderivatives oftheunconscious, wewould experience increased levels Final PDF to printer