The preconscious, as described in the first topic, is located between the ego and the unconscious. This is where exchange processes and connections develop, fed by instinctual energy and organised by repression.

Among other things, the preconscious is the place where a concept of time arises, between an unconscious that knows no time and a consciousness that retains no lasting traces of it. In it, discontinuous temporal elements also combine to form a meaningful continuity, which at the same time enables memory and identity to become anchored in the psyche. Finally, it opens up a space between primary and secondary processes and allows for a postponement of discharge. Humor, as a dialogue between the superego and the ego, also has its origin there and proves to be an authentic partner in the psychoanalytic relationship.

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