Toward a Theory of the Ego

There are five basic and crucial areas in the realm of ego psychology. It is our impression that they are dealt with neither satisfactorily nor consistently in current formulations, despite being essential to a coherent theory of the ego and the self.

It is the purpose of this paper to present a group of interrelated postulates which indicate the direction in which solution to these problems may be found. We believe that these postulates will have the advantage of explaining concordantly and parsimoniously a wide array of data, and further, will be found fruitful for promoting research. As will be seen, some of these postulates can not be tested, e.g., the postulates re the ego as subject and as object. Their value inheres in lending themselves to a rounded and consolidated body of assumptions. They may only obtain increasing validity as a result of the verification of the other interlocking postulates which may be subject to empirical examination.

The problems are:

1. The relation of the ego or self as subject to the ego or self as object. While some theorists (e.g., 4, 6, 15) conceptualize the ego solely as an agent or doer, others (e.g., 8, 19) conceptualize the ego only as object, i.e., the product of reflexive evaluation. Those theorists (1, 2, 9, 11, 12, 24, 26) who attempt to utilize both constructs fail to clarify their interrelationship or the extent, if any, of overlap. One can not, however, understand the relevance of the self-concept2 to personality functioning without delineating the relationship of the ego as object, i.e., self-concept, to the ego as subject or agent of behavior.

2. The relation of the individual's self-concept to his concept of others. There are disagreements among theorists as to how much autonomy from societal dictation exists in the definition of self at which the individual arrives. Despite the fact that many theorists view one's significant others as completely determining one's behavior, one's values, and even, presu