The author presents a twelve-stage sequence of intrapsychic process which begins with a stimulus impinging on the organism and ends with the organism's attempts to deal with dammed-up tension and re-achieve equilibrium. In the course of describing this process, Rangell expands the concept of signal anxiety and introduces 'the decision-making function of the ego'. He feels that this function, probably the central function of the ego, has not been accorded sufficient attention. Rangell then reviews his theory of anxiety which combines Freud's two anxiety theories into a unitary system. He takes issue with all those who would alter classical technique, including some 'classical' analysts who feel that satisfaction of the patient's oral-receptive wishes for nurturing should be part of the analytic technique. Rangell re-affirms his faith in the analytic stance, equidistant from the three psychic agencies.