Motivation and emotion/Book/2023/Sublimation

Sublimation:
How can Sublimation be fostered?

Multimedia presentation (3 min)

Overview

Case study Sarah felt frustrated that she couldn't complete a level on Mario Kart. When the game finished she threw her pillow across the room and yelled at the tv screen. The pillow smashed into her favourite photo frame and broke it into pieces. This made her realise that her response had been irrational and this was not a behaviour that she liked. Sarah had never experienced problems with anger before but there was something about Mario Kart that quickly increased her frustrations. She decided that if she wanted to continue playing the game then she needed to do something about her sudden bursts of anger. She didn't want this behaviour to be exhibited in other parts of her life. Sarah decided that after every race she would run into her backyard, touch the back fence and run back. This displaced the tension and anger and gave Sarah a physical outlet that was healthy and harmless. Sarah used the sublimation defence mechanism to redirect her uncontrolled anger towards Mario Kart.

Figure 1. Video and computer games are often a cause of frustration.

Have you ever wanted to yell at someone who cut in front of you in the line but didn't? Have you ever been so frustrated that you wanted to throw something across the room? Perhaps playing a video game. Have you ever wanted to tell a customer what you really think but refrained? (see Figure 1)

If you have ever been tempted by impulse, yet chose to behave in a more socially acceptable manner then you have used sublimation. Sublimation is "a defence mechanism in which unacceptable sexual or aggressive drives are unconsciously channelled into socially acceptable modes of expression and redirected into new, learned behaviours, which indirectly provide some satisfaction for the original drives (Di Giuseppe & Perry, 2021).

The idea that sexual drives can be a source of energy for non-sexual pursuits has been reported in Eastern and Western folklore (Boorstin, 1993). Freud brought forward the idea that socially inappropriate aggressive and sexual impulses can be sublimated into more appropriate ones (Kim et al., 2013). Sublimation is considered a mature defence mechanism associated with better functioning than neurotic or immature defence mechanisms (Diehl et al., 2014). This defence mechanism encourages redirecting negative impulses to positive behaviours such as increased creativity, athletic performance, and academic achievement (Baumeister et al., 1998).

Focus questions: Have you ever used sublimation? If so what did that look like for you? Do you think sublimation would work for you? Have you ever experienced times where sublimation would have been a useful technique to know? Do you know of anyone that would benefit from using sublimation as a defence mechanism?

Core concepts of sublimation

Definition

The meaning of the word sublimation is to change form. This is why the term sublimation can also be seen in various circumstances. For example:

• Printing: a specific process of printing that first involves printing onto a special sheet of paper, then transferring that image onto another material (usually polyester or a polyester mix) (Sarkodie et al., 2018).
• Science: the conversion between the solid and the gaseous phases of matter, with no intermediate liquid stage (Wagner et al., 1994).

 Explain what sublimation means in a psychological context

Id, Ego, Superego

Figure 2. Freud's psychoanalysis theory of the Id, Ego and Superego

To understand defence mechanisms such as sublimation first we must understand Freud’s concept of the id, ego and superego (see Figure 2). Freud describes the id, ego and superego as three agencies that make up your personality (Gupta, 2020). These three aspects all contribute to an individual's determination of what is right and wrong. Freud believes these three agencies sit across your unconscious, preconscious and conscious mind. Each agency of the Psyche plays a vital role in determining an individual's actions (Niaz et al., 2019).

Id

The primitive agency that consists of impulses, desires and sexual drives. This agency sits in the unconscious mind and contains what is called Eros and Thanatos. Eros contains our libido and sexual drive, whilst thanatos contains our aggression and death instincts (Shubarali, 2023).

Ego

The modified Id that has been influenced by the external world. The ego is the decision-making component that changes the Id's unconscious desires and interprets realistic views form the environment. This agency is in the preconscious and conscious mind and includes how we perceive ourselves and its goal is to perform in a socially acceptable manner (Ewen, 2014).

Superego

The boss of the Id and ego whose main goal is to perform well and meet moral and societal standards. The superego controls the impulses of the Id and persuades the ego to strive for moralistic goals over realistic ones. This agency is in the unconscious, preconscious and conscious mind and overruled the other two agencies (Masele & Kisweka, 2019).

Defence mechanisms

Defence mechanisms are cognitive processes that function to protect the individual from excessive anxiety or other negative emotions (Cramer, 2008).

In 1894 Sigmund Freud first began the discussion of defence mechanisms, however, it was in 1936 that his daughter Anna Freud developed these ideas further and specified 10 major defence mechanisms that are commonly used in psychology today. Anna defined defence mechanisms as “unconscious recourses used by the ego to decrease internal stress” (Bailey & Pico, 2023). Individuals devise defence mechanisms to decrease the conflict between their id, ego and superego. When the desires of the id conflict with the moral demands of the superego an individual unconsciously uses defence mechanisms such as sublimation to resolve the incongruity (Rubianto, 2022).

However, the 10 major defence mechanisms all serve a significant purpose in conflict in the mind.

Table 1.

10 major defence mechanisms

	Mechanism	Definition
1.	Psychological projection	Placing one's uncomfortable or unpleasant feelings on another person or object.
2.	Sublimation	A form of diversion. Its objective is to replace the feeling of fear or anxiety with socially beneficial activities.
3.	Rationalization	To give a person reason for their actions.
4.	Compartmentalization	A lesser form of dissociation, wherein parts of oneself are separated from awareness of other parts and behaving as if one had separate sets of values.
5.	Denial	A refusal to accept reality, thus blocking external events from awareness.
6.	Displacement	A means of displacing a feeling of hatred towards someone or something else.
7.	Repression	An internal process created by the ego to prevent unpleasant or threatening feelings from entering our unconscious mind.
8.	Reaction formation	When someone acts the opposite way of what they experience or feel.
9.	Regression	When someone acts in an uncontrollable behaviour or acts like a child.
10.	Intellectualisation	The overemphasis on thinking when confronted with an unacceptable impulse, situation or behaviour without employing any emotions whatsoever to help mediate and place the thoughts into an emotional, human context.

(Pangaribuan & Halomoan, 2022)

Theory of sublimation

Sigmund Freud

Figure 3. Photo with Sigmund Freud (Front row: middle) and C.G. Jung (Front row: right)

The idea of sublimation came to Sigmund Freud whilst he was reading a well-known travel book ‘The Hartz Journey’ (Maka, 2018). The book followed the story of a sad and sadistic boy, that grew to be an extremely caring and helpful surgeon, who made significant discoveries in the field of plastic surgery. This story led Sigmund to believe that human beings often rise from dark and taboo mindsets to a future of the exact opposite. The strength of the negative determines the power of the positive (Thomas et al., 2012). He believed this to be an explanation of the core of some of our greatest creatives, academics and scientists. Suggesting that caring doctors may be sublimating feelings of selfishness from when they were younger, or perhaps a noble police officer may have experienced feelings of greed when they were a child. Freud claimed that Leonardo Da Vinci has his high sexual desires to thank for his contributions to science (Freud, 2015).

Freud emphasises the significance that sexual desires have on our use of sublimation. He believes that all endeavours in creativity, academia, and caring for others derive from an inability to express our sexual desires in a socially acceptable way (Gemes, 2009). Having to withhold from these sexual desires creates frustration and aggression, which is sublimated into productive and self-enhancing behaviours (Baumeister et al., 1998).

C.G. Jung

C.G. Jung was a Swiss Psychoanalysts and psychiatric    who founded analytic psychology who often questioned the work of Sigmund Freud (see Figure 3) and the prominence of sexuality in his work (Jung, 2012). Jung questioned Freud's emphasis on sexual desires in sublimation as he believed Freud created the idea to hide the reality of our frightening unconscious (Salman, 1997). Jung saw the transformation of sublimation as having no connection to our sexual desires rather he saw it as a profound and mysterious concept of your unconscious mind. He took a more mystical and spiritual outlook on the matter and saw Freud's view as fear and sex driven. Jung saw the Psyche as something to be respected and expressed his discomfort with the idea that the psyche would create such negative and dangerous pathways (Jung, 1970).

Nietzsche

Figure 4. Portrait of Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrick Nietzsche (see Figure 4) was a German philosopher particularly interested in analysing the cultural values of Western philosophy, religion and morality. Nietzsche coined the term sublimation (Sublimirung), stating that tragedy can satisfy the delight in cruelty in sublimated form (Lichtenstein, 2020). This led more recent psychologists to believe the work of Nietzsche inspired Freud in his theory on sublimation, however, there is no evident proof that this is the case (Gemes, 2009; Hanza, 2003). Nietzsche views sublimation as an elevation of the object. This means we use sublimation by reinterpreting or reimagining ‘evil’ objects and creating greater positive meaning for them.

Gemes (2018) suggests that Nietzsche succeeds in differentiating pathological symptoms and sublimation whereas Freud fails to do so. It is also suggested that Freud’s similarities between sublimation and repression are not distinct enough and Nietzsche manages to distinguish the two in a clear manner.

Hartmann

Freud's definition of sublimation was further criticised by Hartmann (1955) for not considering 3 important aspects of the human mind:

1. It is not completely true that sublimation includes exclusively a substitution of the aims and the objectives of sexual drive.
2. The displacement of sexual drives from manifestly instinctual aims to aims of a higher order of social estimation introduces an element of value judgment. This value is considered highly questionable in a scientific investigation of mental processes.
3. A definition of sublimation should consider the element of stability of egos and functions ie., the resistance of certain functions of the ego to regressive transformation and sexualisation.

Fostering sublimation

Reducing anxiety

Sublimation is an effective tool in reducing anxiety. Wu’s (2020) study on high school students going through exams during COVID-19 in China found that students who implemented sublimation had reduced anxiety levels during exam period. Exam period is a time period that creates anxiety and pressure, thus tempting students to behave impulsively through their frustrations and aggressions. These students used this energy to motivate themselves to study harder which was seen to reduce anxiety levels. Additionally, Cohen et al. (2014) found that sublimation works as a means to reduce anxiety over what are considered ‘taboo urges’ of religious individuals. As the definition of sublimation is to reduce conflict amongst the id, ego and superego it is evident that successful use of sublimation will reduce anxiety levels (Meiranti, 2022).

Implementing change

Sublimation can be used from any negative state of mind and be sublimated to any positive and productive behaviour. However, there are particular emotions that commonly equate to particular behaviours, for example anger, sexual urges, sadness, frustration,

Anger

Anger and aggression often equate to behaviours of increased physical activity, team sports and general fitness. This is due to physical activity reducing stress hormones that contribute to stress and anger such as adrenaline and cortisol. Additionally, it increases the production of endorphins which increase mood.

Example John was teaching football to high school students but was struggling with getting them to pay attention when he needed them to listen. The more this happened the more John realised he would find himself angry and aggravated throughout the lesson. At one point John got so angry that he started kicking the balls across the field in frustration and embarrassed himself in front of the students. John had learnt about sublimation in uni so he started going for a 5k run before every lesson to see if this would help. He found that his anger and impulses were reduced dramatically and he was able to stay patient and calm in his lessons again. He even found that his mood was increasingly positive after his run and he began running more frequently in his personal time. Sexual urges Repressing sexual urges to ensure socially acceptable behaviour creates a build-up of hormones in the body which can lead to impulsive behaviour. The use of sublimation can redirect these frustrations into creative outlets. Creativity has been seen to be an effective redirection for individuals experiencing repressed sexual desires.

Example Paul has just come out of a long-term relationship where both he and his ex-girlfriend had high sex drives. He has no intention of having sex with anybody soon as he doesn't feel it is the right thing to do. However, he has noticed it is becoming increasingly difficult to focus at school and he has started becoming irritated quickly. He knows it is because he hasn't been able to meet his sexual desires however he still doesn't feel like sleeping with someone new is the right thing to do. Paul begins focusing on his music and finds that he is able to write music easily, which he previously found difficult. This encourages Paul to continue this hobby and he begins to put all of his energy into his creative process. Paul realises that his irritation reduced since and he is able to focus again at school.

Sadness

Feelings of sadness can be minimised by redirecting these emotions to positive behaviours. These positive behaviours may include helping others and providing care, as this helps create a sense of purpose and meaning.

Example George has just moved city and has been feeling very lonely and sad recently. His family made this decision and he just wishes he could move back to where he was happy again with his friends. George's parents notice his low mood and ask if he wants to join them in running the charity BBQ over the weekend. Despite George wanting to stay home and play video games all weekend he decides he should probably leave the house. When he gets back from the charity BBQ he is surprised to find that he feels very accomplished and satisfied. He even offers to help cook dinner with his family and joins them at the dining table which he hasn't done since they moved. George realises that by redirecting his feelings of sadness to helping others he feels a sense of purpose. This encourages George to sign up for the charity BBQ every weekend, where he ends up making friends and no longer feels extremely sad or lonely.

Frustration

Repressed frustration leads to aggressive impulses and socially unacceptable behaviour. However, if an individual is experiencing high levels of frustration they can redirect this toward career prospects. Focusing energy towards an aspect of your life that you have control over reduces the feelings of frustration that often stem from a sense of lack of control.

Example Ringo is working a 9-5 job and his boss doesn't treat him with any respect. He often feels that his boss doesn't appreciate his work ethic and he is always undermined. This leads Ringo to feel frustrated every time he finishes work and he can't shake the feeling even when at home with his family. He notices that he has started being rude and short to his family when he arrives home from work and it is affecting his relationships. This leads Ringo to become motivated to continue his own business of selling cakes, something he has always been passionate about and has always seen as a side project. Ringo has always dreamt of being his own boss and this feels like the perfect time to start. Ringo finds that he is excited when he finishes work now to begin working on his business and he even involves his family to help him. This leads to him earning enough money that he is able to quit his 9-5 job and solely sell cakes. Ringo notices that he no longer feels frustrated because he is able to control all aspects of his life again.

Pick a response Imagine you are a student who is trying to complete an assignment. You are about to save your work but your laptop dies and you lose everything you have been working on. This makes you so frustrated you want to throw your laptop across the room. Using sublimation as a defence mechanism what response would be effective in this situation? Select all that apply. Throw the laptop across the room Put your laptop away and go for a run Charge the laptop and start again Begin an art project you have been working on and come back to uni later

Is sublimation a good thing?

Sublimation is considered a mature defence mechanism that encourages healthy redirections of negative urges and impulses (Walker & McCabe, 2021). However, this defence mechanism doesn't help in fixing the core issue of anger and distress. Whilst changing negative emotions to healthy behaviour can create good habits, it also encourages distraction and neglect of the issue at hand (Copjec, 2004). Whilst sublimation is a good short-term solution for socially unacceptable behaviour, if the issue persists it is likely that a deeper psychological problem might be affecting the individual. Thus, if an individual is experiencing serious mental health issues causing impulsive behaviour it is important that they address this in a constructive way such as counselling.

Cultural and religious implications

Figure 5. Protestants are a part of the Christian religion

You may wonder what religion and culture have to do with a psychological defence mechanism discovered by Sigmund Freud. Religion and culture play a significant role in an individual's morals, beliefs, behaviours and intentions. For this reason, sublimation is influenced by an individual's understanding of what is socially acceptable and what is considered wrong or potentially sinful.

For example, It is understood that protestants (see Figure 5) are more likely to engage in sublimation as their sexual and aggressive thoughts are considered more taboo and potentially sinful (Hudson & Cohen, 2016). Whilst non-religious and many other religions would not view things like “desiring another woman” as a sin and therefore it is not necessary for them to engage in sublimation in this situation (Smith, 2018).

Additionally, culture influences an individual's use of sublimation through the anxiety that the culture may or may not create. All individuals are understood to experience anxiety in various forms however this is largely shaped by cultural implications. For example, in Western culture, social acceptance regarding friends and reputation is considered a significant contributor to anxiety and could be a common prompt for sublimation (Wright, 2011). On the other hand, Asian culture emphasises the importance of family commitment and tradition which could be a common prompt for sublimation in this community (Hermann-Pilath, 2010).

Conclusion

Sublimation is a defence mechanism that can be used to minimise socially unacceptable behaviour, and negative impulses and urges. The theory of sublimation is a defence mechanism discovered by Freud who suggests that through a redirection of energy negative impulses can be transformed into healthy behaviours (Baumeister et al., 1998). Impulses and emotions such as anger, sexual desires, frustration, and sadness can be sublimated to increased creativity, academia, physical activity and care for others (Kim et al., 2013). Additionally, sublimation can reduce anxiety by minimising the conflict between the id, ego and superego (Meiranti, 2022). Whilst the theory of sublimation has been analysed amongst psychologists and psychoanalytic such as Neitzsche, Freud, C.G. Jung and Hartmann the key take-home message of sublimation is consistent throughout each theory. This message is that the mind is capable of redirecting energy to form productive behaviour. Despite sublimation failing to address serious mental health issues it is an effective tool to help increase healthy behaviour.

Nuvola apps kuser Take home message: The next time you feel the urge to act on impulses, try to redirect your energy into something more productive like running, art, university, or looking after your friends.

See also

• Physical activity motivation (Book chapter, 2021)
• Meditation and mindfulness (Book chapter, 2023)
• Defence mechanisms (Wikipedia)
• Impulsivity (Wikipedia)
• Psychoanalytic theory (Wikipedia)
• Agression (Wikiversity)

References

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Boorstin, D. J. (1993). The creators: A history of heroes of the imagination. New York, NY: Vintage.

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Kim, E., Zeppenfeld, V., & Cohen, D. (2013). Sublimation, culture, and creativity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105(4), 639.

Kim, E., Zeppenfeld, V., & Cohen, D. (2013). Sublimation, culture, and creativity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105(4), 639.

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Maka, M. M. (2018). Psychoanalytic Training and Experience as Predictors of Accuracy in Identifying Defense Mechanisms (Doctoral dissertation, Adler School of Professional Psychology).

Masele, E. J., & Kisweka, D. M. (2019). Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Marina's Character in Kyomuhendo's Secrets No More. Journal of Education, Humanities & Sciences, 8(2).

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Pangaribuan, J. F., & Halomoan, H. S. (2022). THE ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN CHARACTER’S MENTAL DEPRESSION IN “A GIRL LIKE HER FILM” DIRECTED BY AMY S. WEBER USING FREUD’S PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY. e-LinguaTera, 4(2), 21-28.

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SHUBBARALI, M. K. S. (2023). Psychoanalytic Study Of Death And Life Drives In Jojo Moys' Me Before You, John Green's The Fault In Our Stars, And Ian Mcewan's The Children Act (Doctoral dissertation).

Smith, S. D. (2018). Agathias and Paul the Silentiary: Erotic epigram and the sublimation of same-sex desire in the age of Justinian. In Sex in Antiquity (pp. 500-516). Routledge.

Thomas, A., Charbonneau, J. L., Fournaise, E., & Chaurand, P. (2012). Sublimation of new matrix candidates for high spatial resolution imaging mass spectrometry of lipids: enhanced information in both positive and negative polarities after 1, 5-diaminonapthalene deposition. Analytical chemistry, 84(4), 2048-2054.

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Wright, K. (2011). The rise of the therapeutic society. New Academia Publishing, LLC.

Wu, X. (2020). The Usage of Sublimation and Regression in Stress Coping of High-Stress Students during Covid-19: a Pilot Study with Weibo Expressions. Frontiers in Educational Research, 3(15).

External links

• Anger managment (External link)
• Interpersonal Psychoanalysis (External link)
• Social norm (Wikipedia)
• Sublimation examples (Youtube)
• BetterHelp Sublimation (External link)