Pleasure-pain Principle (Noun)
Meaning
(psychoanalysis) the governing principle of the id; the principle that an infant seeks gratification and fails to distinguish fantasy from reality.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The pleasure-pain principle is a fundamental concept in psychoanalytic theory, driving the id's relentless pursuit of immediate gratification.
- According to Freud, the pleasure-pain principle is the primary motivator for human behavior, particularly in the earliest stages of development.
- In infancy, the pleasure-pain principle leads the child to seek immediate relief from discomfort, marking the beginning of a lifelong pattern of seeking pleasure and avoiding pain.
- The pleasure-pain principle is evident in the way infants respond to stimuli, automatically moving towards pleasing sensations and away from unpleasant ones.
- Through the lens of the pleasure-pain principle, psychoanalysts can better understand the unconscious motivations driving an individual's desires and behaviors.