Topographic theory Topographic theory was first described by Freud in "The Interpretation of Dreams" (1900) The theory posits

ory posits that the mental apparatus can be divided in to the systems Conscious, Pre-conscious and Unconscious. These systems are not anatomical structures of the brain, rather mental processes. As we know that the founder of psychoanalytic theory was Sigmund Freud.

 While his theories were considered shocking at the time and continue to create debate and controversy. His work had a profound influence on a number of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, anthropology, literature, and art. Till date we feel it very useful in our clinical practices. Topographic theory He retained this theory throughout his life & he largely replaced it with the Structural theory, e.g. we are born with our Id. The id is an important part of our personality because as newborns, it allows us to get our basic needs met & it is unconscious in nature throughout but it is maturity (ego) which keeps it under control. The Topographic theory remains as one of the metapsychological points of view for describing how the mind functions. Topographic theory Many of us experienced commonly as Freudian slip.

 These misstatements are believed to reveal underlying, unconscious thoughts or feelings. Consider this example: A young boy has just started a new relationship with a woman whom he met at school. While talking to her one afternoon, he accidentally calls her by his ex-girlfriend's name who was her childhood sweet heart. If you were in this situation How would you explain this mistake? Explanations could be like this: Many of us might blame the slip on distraction or describe it as a simple accident. But the psychoanalytic view holds that there are inner forces outside of your awareness that are directing your behavior means the young boy misspoke due to unresolved feelings for his ex or perhaps because of misgivings about his new relationship. In relation to Freuds theory

 Freud relied heavily upon his observations and case studies of his patients when he formed his theory of personality development. Before we understand Freud's theory of personality, we must first understand his view of how the mind is organized. According to Freud, the mind can be divided into two main parts: (1) The conscious mind

It includes everything that we are aware of. This is the aspect of our mental processing that we can think and talk about rationally. Besides it includes our memory, which is not always part of consciousness but can be retrieved easily at any time and brought into our awareness. Freud called this ordinary memory The preconscious.

The unconscious mind

 The unconscious mind is a reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that outside of our conscious awareness. Most of the contents of the unconscious are unacceptable or unpleasant, such as feelings of pain, anxiety, or conflict. According to Freud, the unconscious continues to influence our behavior and experience, even though we are unaware of these underlying influences. Freud believed The majority of what we experience in our lives, the underlying emotions, beliefs, feelings, and impulses are not available to us at a conscious level. He believed that most of what drives us is buried in our unconscious. If you remember the Oedipus and Electra Complex, they were both pushed down into the unconscious, out of our awareness due to the extreme anxiety they caused.

 According to Freud while buried there, however, they continue to impact us dramatically on our behaviour. Topographical Model The final part It is the preconscious or subconscious. This is the part of us that we can access if prompted, but is not in our active conscious. Its right below the surface, but still buried somewhat unless we search for it. Information such as our telephone number, some childhood memories, or the name of your best childhood friend is stored in the preconscious.

Because the unconscious is so large and we are only aware of the very small conscious at any given time, this theory has been likened to an iceberg, where the vast majority is buried beneath the water's surface.

 The water, by the way, would represent everything that we are not aware of, have not experienced, and that has not been integrated into our personalities, it is referred to as the nonconscious. References 1.Freud S (1900), The Interpretation of Dreams, IV and V (2nd ed.), Hogarth Press, 1955 2.Freud S (1915), The Unconscious, XIV (2nd ed.), Hogarth Press, 1955