As Anna Freud suggests, it is through play (and perhaps dreams) that we meet the fundamental need to feel as a child or adult that we have some control over the world in which we live. We try out actions while asleep that we can later engage in waking life. We can be a “better” person (as judged by our super ego and the society in which we live) if our dreams regarding sexuality (or aggression) involve the diversion of energy and behavior from directly meeting these primitive needs. We “test” out ways in which to interact with a sexually attractive colleague in a manner that is fulfilling but not sexual. We play a “rough and tumble” game but don’t try to wound or kill that person we are competing against whom we don’t really like in our waking life. It is in this sublimation that we not only find indirect satisfaction of primitive needs (as Vaillant states: “without loss of pleasure”) but also might fulfill just as strong a need for a sense of control in our life (Rotter, 1966; Bandura, 1997).
With this brief introduction to the world of sublimation, we can return to our examination of the dreams shared by my colleague, Frank. He reports many dreams during which he has done something wonderful with a woman in his life. He finds in his dream (and in real life) that he is attracted to women who are not just beautiful, but also skilled in planning for an upcoming meeting (in coordination with Frank), co-teaching with Frank in a college classroom, or simply taking a long walk with Frank on the sandy beach near Frank’s home.
Frank admits that he is hesitant to invite a woman colleague to the beach with him. It is too late in life to once again get emotionally involved. Furthermore, Frank is now retired—thus is no longer planning for meetings or teaching in a college classroom. The sublimation will have to be restricted to his dreams. Or is he using his dreams to “prepare for” engagement in a meaningful, perhaps even intimate, relationship with a woman? Ego Psychologists suggest that this “rehearsal” function being served by dreams can be highly adaptive.
Sexuality and Secondary Autonomy
Some Ego Psychologists go even further in their consideration of what might be called the “remnants” of sexuality in adult life. While sublimation is still considered to be driven by sexual drives—even though these drives are now being diverted in new directions—one group of Ego Psychologists propose that activities that were once driven indirectly by sexuality now have become functionally independent of the sexual drive.
Perhaps we can “go it alone” without sex leading the way. Heinz Hartmann, one of the principal theorists among the Ego Psychologists, writes about the Secondary Autonomy which Is engaged by the maturing human being. When we are born and during the early years of life, our thoughts and behavior are aligned primarily with primitive drives—among which we find sexuality. Sigmund Freud’s Id is in charge. However, we also begin to develop and nurture reality-oriented and adaptation-oriented thoughts and behaviors. These are associated with Freud’s Ego. These emerging functions hold the attention of the Ego Psychologists – hence their name.
Many Ego functions operate independently of any conflict-laden zones as the child matures. Ego Psychologists suggest that basic cognitive functions such as perception, memory, and motility operate in this conflict-free zone (I tend to disagree with this assessment for these functions often are wrapped around primitive and deeply emotional forces). Obviously, those functions associated with Sexuality are NOT among those that are free of conflict. However, according to Heinz Hartmann, some functions that are highly charged in early life can begin to operate during our adult years in a manner that is independent of these primitive sources of energy. These functions gain Secondary Autonomy.
