Concept
Secondary process
The mode of functioning of the preconscious and conscious systems, and later of the ego, in which energy is bound and discharge is postponed, allowing attention, judgement, reasoning and controlled action. Freud set it against the primary process in Die Traumdeutung (1900) and tied it to the reality principle in 1911: thinking becomes a trial action carried out with small quantities of energy before the subject acts in the world.
Read more- Broader concept
- Topographical model
- Introduced by
- Sigmund Freud
- Key works
- 3
- Related
- Primary process
introduced by
- Sigmund Freud 1900 In the last chapter of Die Traumdeutung Freud sets a second, inhibiting process of the preconscious system against the primary process: excitation is bound, discharge is delayed, and thought can explore paths to satisfaction. In 1911 he tied it to the reality principle.
opposes
- Primary process 1900 The two processes are defined against each other: in the primary process energy is free and seeks immediate discharge by the shortest path, by way of condensation and displacement; in the secondary process it is bound, discharge is postponed, and thinking can test the paths to satisfaction against reality.