Reflections on the lecture

This week’s lecture was by Martin Hosken, a lecturer in critical theory, the lecture was about ‘the self’. Martin’s lecture was very interesting, it made me question a lot of things about who I am and what my vales are.

Nature vs nature

Martin asked the question: ‘Do you think we are rooted and determined more by our biological inheritance? Or are we more of a blank slate where experience and environment determine our sense of value?’ He went on to discuss nature vs nurture, nature refers to how genetics influence our personality and influences the way we develop through our lives. However nurture refers to how environmental factors influence who we are, such as our experiences and social interactions. Martin mentions that most people under 40 would sway more towards nurture whereas most people over 40 would sway towards nature. I agree with this statement as I am under 40 and would say I predominately sway more towards nurture, I believe nature still has a small influence but it is mainly nature that determines our sense of value. Our genes play a part in the beginning as I don’t think we are born a ‘blank slate’ but the vast majority of our values come from our personal experiences and our social interactions with different people. Especially as the world we live in now has never been more interconnected and we have so much access to information and knowledge, we have the ability to talk so so many different people who can share their personal experiences and thoughts.

System one and system two

Martin then went on to discuss system 1 and system 2 decision making; the unconscious and conscious mind. System 1 is the unconscious mind, this is automatic acting with no effort or self-control. System 1 thinking is responsible for everyday decisions and judgements. System 2 is the conscious mind, this is decision making with effort and thought. System 2 is responsible for rational decisions weighing out the pros and cons. He also went on to talk about how system 2 can be more susceptible to a ‘nudge’. A nudge is something that influences people’s choices for example, putting fruit out at eye level on a counter would influence the consumer to buy the fruit.

Freud’s iceberg model

According to Sigmund Freud there are three parts of the human psyche; the ego, the the id and the superego. The iceberg is a common illustration used for this theory, the part of the iceberg that is above water corresponds to the conscious parts of the mind. Whereas, everything beneath the water corresponds to the unconscious parts of the mind. As you can see from the illustration the ego is above the water, the id is below and the superego sits a bit above and a bit below.

Id - The id is the only part of the mind that we are born with, this part is all nature and no nurture, it is the unconscious and impulsive part of our psyche. The id is the part of the mind that responds to our basic needs, urges and desires and acts with no self-control or logic. The id tends to only respond to what Freud calls the ‘pleasure principle’ it works by what feels good, it is about desires and pleasures, and everything else is irrelevant.

Ego - The ego is part of our conscious mind, it is the rational and decision making part of the human psyche. The ego is also known as the balancer and the mediator between the id and the superego, evaluating which course to take. The ego is constantly working with the id trying to satisfy its demands while being realistic and considering the norms, etiquettes and rules of society.

Superego - The superego is the counterbalance to the id in the mind, it has two parts; the conscience and the ego ideal. The superego is integrated with our moral code, the shoulds and should nots of society. It functions to not only control the id but to also sway the ego to more moralistic goals. The superego is not concerned with instant gratification like the id, this part of the mind relies on long term thinking and decision making. It tries to steer you away from bad behaviours in an attempt to align you with your ideal self, trying to move you towards what you should be.

So according to Freud these are the three parts of your mind. The id tells you what you want, the superego tells you what you should do and the ego makes the final call. It is the id and the superego that allows you to form your values.