... there is conflict between the three parts. Evidence into the tripartite personality is Solms, who used PET scans to provide support for the concept of the id and the ego. During REM sleep the rational part of the brain is inactive and Freud's theory would say that the ego does indeed become suspended while the id is active during dreaming. But the activation synthesis study disagrees with this evidence. This then shows on the whole that there is evidence that there are three different parts in the brain as there are different parts active at different times. The ego has a difficult time dealing with the conflict between the three parts of the personality and therefore it uses defence mechanisms to protect itself and reduce anxiety. Some of the main defence mechanisms are repression: this is were a painful thought is kept out of the conscious mind, to protect ...

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