Excerpt from the course, Superego Lacunae: Holes in the Conscience, by Louis R. Franzini, PhD
Humor has historically been a taboo topic in the study of personality and therapy, especially in the training and supervision of therapists. Just one example of that negative bias is the position of psychiatrist Lawrence Kubie, as reflected in his widely cited 1971 article “The destructive potential of humor in psychotherapy.” After all, Freud himself published his classic volume Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious in 1905 (in German).
Since it is finally being recognized as a major positive personality attribute in successful and likable people, it has recently been receiving long deserved attention, as it occurs in clients and the therapists themselves, who are practicing both traditional psychodynamic therapy and behaviorally based therapy (cf. Franzini, 2000, 2001; Fry & Salameh, 1987, 1993; Kuhlman, 1984).
Freud himself deliberately used humor in his therapy sessions and explicitly declared its therapeutic value. For him, like so many of his theoretical constructs, humor serves multiple purposes. It is defensive in that it helps a person cope with negative reality events as they occur. It can also serve to sublimate satisfaction of such basic drives as sex and aggression, that is, instead of physical expressions of those feelings. Humor can also function as defense mechanisms of denial and regression.
Child psychiatrist Atalay Yorukoglu (1993) theorized how humor is the “loftiest of all defense mechanisms” and is a key to understanding the dynamic forces operating and interacting within the psychological structure of all humans. He reported,
… All forms of humor provide us with a release of energy no longer needed for repressive purposes. The infantile pleasure enacted in playing with words serves to remove repression and suppression. Laughter occurs when energy used for repression is suddenly released.
Jokes disguise unconscious tendencies, expressing them in masked form through mechanisms such as distortion, condensation and symbolization before it can break through into consciousness. Yet, unlike a dream, a joke is a social process. Moreover, it creates a bridge between unconscious and conscious processes. When a joke is successful, the aggressive impulse remains intelligible despite the disguise and can be perceived by the listener within a socially acceptable form….
Through humor, we can master anxiety and relieve painful effects. Although a joke’s source of pleasure may be in the release of aggression, the saving of emotion in humor also becomes pleasurable. In humorous attitudes, the superego treats the ego as a tolerant and understanding parent does his or her child, thereby permitting the ego to regress temporarily. Thus, humor signifies the triumph not only of the ego but also of the pleasure principle. In humor the ego turns away from harsh realities and enjoys a partial return to a guilt-free narcissistic stage. This triumph over reality, coupled with a momentary escape from the control of the superego, gives the individual a feeling of strength. (Yorukoglu, 1993, p. 59)
There are people whose friends, family, and coworkers tend to identify as having no sense of humor. That surely is an exaggeration and very unlikely to be accepted as accurate by the individual so labeled. More accurately, that person’s sense of humor is focused on topics and forms of humor quite different from most other people. They do have a sense of humor, but it is quite unique to them. Yorukoglu (1993) also commented on the personality structure of those allegedly without a sense of humor: “Humorless individuals are usually thought of as rigid and inhibited persons with a cruel superego that forbids them the enjoyment afforded by humorous attitudes” (p. 60).
The nature and structure of patients’ personality is presumably revealed by how easily they perceive, appreciate, and initiate humor in jokes and witty remarks. The creation of humor is more of a cognitive ego function. The appreciation of humor, especially when accompanied by physical laughter, is a release of physical and psychic tension. The content of humor which is initiated or appreciated by the patient is revelatory for the therapist in learning of that patient’s unconscious conflicts and defenses and the rigidity of the controlling superego. It is no accident that so many jokes tap into the topics of sex or aggression, which in certain authoritarian and repressive subcultures have emotional power. When the strength of the superego component is sufficient, and yet is not extraordinarily rigid, it becomes a personality asset. The phenomena of superego lacunae result in the person’s opportunity to engage in certain behaviors otherwise forbidden and to enjoy humor which otherwise would be offensive and anxiety arousing, as judged by their superego development from childhood on. Those gaps in a person’s otherwise strong moral values (conscience) permit pleasurable outcomes of the base instincts normally kept well controlled.
Superego Lacunae: Holes in the Conscience is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE) course that explores the frequently unfamiliar concept of superego lacunae, also known as gaps or holes in certain individuals’ consciences.
Superego lacunae was first described by physicians Adelaide M. Johnson (1949) and Johnson & S. A. Szurek (1952). Their theorizing of superego lacunae began as a way to understand the acting out of children who featured a defect in their internal controls in specific areas of their behavior, rather than a generalized weakness of their entire superego.
Superego lacunae has since been considerably expanded to include behaviors by individuals of any age. The essential idea is that there are problematic behaviors that are extremely inconsistent with a person’s overwhelmingly strong senses of morality and appropriate behaviors. Such individuals are often considered pillars of society, admirable leaders, great friends and relatives, and appealing choices for spouses. Yet, they occasionally, intentionally, do things which are wildly different from all expectations. Their misdeeds are deliberate and not accidents. This course examines the theories behind the concept and explores various treatment considerations.
Course #11-46 | 2022 | 18 pages | 10 posttest questions
CE Credit: 1 Hour
Target Audience: Psychology CE | Counseling CE | Social Work CE | Marriage & Family Therapy CE | School Psychology CE
Learning Level: Intermediate
Course Type: Online (text- based/downloadable PDF)
Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, and Marriage and Family Therapy (#BAP346), Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145), the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135), licensed marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100), and licensed social workers (#SW-0664); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage & Family Therapist Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – all courses are reported within two business days of completion).
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