psychic apparatus

American  

[sahy-kik ap-uh-rat-uhs, -rey-tuhs] / ˈsaɪ kɪk ˌæp əˈræt əs, -ˈreɪ təs /

noun

Psychoanalysis.

1. the mind considered as a collection of structures and mechanisms, such as ego, superego, and id.

---

Etymology

Origin of psychic apparatus

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

psychic apparatus

It thus appears that we can describe the tasks and performances of the psychic apparatus in different and more generalized terms than by the emphasis of the pursuit of pleasure.

From A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis by Freud, Sigmund

If we now follow our scheme of the psychic apparatus, we can localize a wish of the first order in the system Forec.

From Dream Psychology Psychoanalysis for Beginners by Freud, Sigmund

Perhaps we shall now begin to suspect that dream interpretation is capable of giving us hints about the structure of our psychic apparatus which we have thus far expected in vain from philosophy.

From Dream Psychology Psychoanalysis for Beginners by Freud, Sigmund

In the psychoses these modes of operation of the psychic apparatus, which are normally suppressed in the waking state, reassert themselves, and then betray their inability to satisfy our wants in the outer world.

From Dream Psychology Psychoanalysis for Beginners by Freud, Sigmund

Thinking is indeed nothing but the equivalent of the hallucinatory wish; and if the dream be called a wish-fulfillment this becomes self-evident, as nothing but a wish can impel our psychic apparatus to activity.

From Dream Psychology Psychoanalysis for Beginners by Freud, Sigmund