Human freedom, understood as a power to actuate and be actuated in directions that promise the deepest synthesis of basic needs and ideals, has been considered in the light of the concept of autonomy, of Rapaport's activity-passivity formulation, and of Paul Ricoeur's reflection on the voluntary and the involuntary. Under the heading of the ego psychology of freedom, understood primarily as freedom from, nonperemptory activity (e.g., free attending of the infant or free play of the child) was contrasted with the peremptory moment of crisis with the aim of showing how each shapes the other. Under the superego psychology of freedom, understood primarily as freedom for, an emphasis was given to the benevolent aspect of primitive superego elements and their eventual depersonified guiding function.