Part II    Psychodynamic Theories32
fei75766_ch02_019-071.indd 32  02/19/20 08:59 AMthe“I,”translated asego;andthefinalprovince wasdas Uber-Ich, orthe“over-I,” 
which istranslated assuperego. These provinces orregions havenoterritorial exis-
tence, ofcourse, butaremerely hypothetical constructs. They interact withthethree 
levels ofmental lifesothattheegocutsacross thevarious topographic levels andhas
conscious, preconscious, andunconscious components, whereas thesuperego isboth
preconscious andunconscious andtheidiscompletely unconscious. Figure 2.2shows 
therelationship between theprovinces ofthemind andthelevels ofmental life.
The Id
Atthecoreofpersonality andcompletely unconscious isthepsychical region called 
theid,atermderived from theimpersonal pronoun meaning “theit,”orthenot-yet-
owned component ofpersonality. Theidhasnocontact withreality, yetitstrives 
constantly toreduce tension bysatisfying basic desires. Because itssolefunction isto
seekpleasure, wesaythattheidserves thepleasure principle.
Eye of consciousness
Final censorship
Preconscious
Censorship
Unconscious
Id
Ego
Superego
Open to
somatic inﬂuences
FIGURE 2.2  Levels of Mental Life and Provinces of the Mind.Final PDF to printer