How the Primary Process Is Used in Personality

According to Freudian theory, the primary process involves forming a mental image of the desired object in order to satisfy the desire for that object.For example, if you were craving a piece of chocolate cake but sadly did not have any at the moment, you might deal with this by visualizing a delicious piece of cake.

How the Primary Process in Freudian Theory Works

In Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality, the primary process works to resolve the tension created by the乐趣原则。The pleasure principle is what drives the id and seeks instant gratification of all needs, wants, and desires.When the pleasure principle creates tension, the id must find a way to discharge this energy.

As you may recall, Freud believed that the id was the most basic and primitive part of personality. He also suggested that it was the only part of personality that is present from birth. The primary process is referred to as a primary part of personality because it is believed to come first. Since the id is present from birth, the primary process is also assumed to emerge quite early in human development.

据弗洛伊德，婴儿基本上是所有的身份。他们希望立即满足自己的需求，并且乐趣原则驱使他们拥有所有需求或想要立即填充。弗洛伊德将主要过程描述为婴儿，原始和梦幻般的诸如需要最大限度地发挥愉悦和最小化疼痛的驱动。

How It Influences Personality

The primary process acts as the id's mechanism for discharging the tension created by the pleasure principle.

This image can take the form of a dream, hallucination, fantasy, or delusion. For example, if you are hungry, you might form a mental image of a slice of pizza or a deli sandwich. The experience of this mental image through the primary process is known as wish fulfillment.

但是，由于使用主要过程来消除ID的能量，因此也会导致问题。主要过程无法区分幻想图像和现实。因此，虽然主要过程可用于暂时减少张力，但它仅在短期内有效。你渴望的食物的心理形象只会让你满意这么久。最终，当需求不达到时，紧张局势将返回。

As people develop and grow more mature, the ego and superego eventually emerge and begin to exert their own influence over personality. Later, the secondary process will begin to play a role in dissipating tension caused by the id's desire to meet basic needs and the ego's need to conform to reality.