What is the unconscious mind? All the drives we don't necessarily see, or understand, about ourselves. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, was the first person to differentiate between aspects of the unconscious. According to him, there were three parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. These parts form what is the basis of our personality, the way we relate to the world. Of these three, the superego is the last part to develop, and acts as our moral compass in this world. But how much of this learned way of interpreting the world is helpful, and does our unconscious judge have the potential to become harmful?
Curious? Click on to learn about the superego, and how it affects your responses and decision-making.
The id seeks gratification and the satisfaction of all needs. Young children are ruled entirely by the id, and its function is survival.
The instinctual self, the id, is entirely unconscious. It is the source of primitive behaviors and psychic energy.
Someone with a weak ego is overwhelmed by the demands of the id, other people, and life's problems. They usually have difficulty controlling their id impulses, and might descend into wishful thinking, addiction, or codependency.
A big ego is a false, manufactured ego. Someone with a big ego ignores the realities of life, reacting on impulses, and fails to learn from life's experiences. A big ego feels superior to others, and lacks understanding and boundaries.
The ego is the sense of self, which develops from the id. Its job is to ensure it can express the impulses of the id in a healthy way, in the real world. A strong, healthy ego gives a person a sense of self-awareness.
As conscience is deeply related to a sense of guilt, when the superego inner voice becomes punitive and unrealistic about its expectations, it can become a problem.
The superego is the last part of the personality to develop, at around age five. This part of the personality provides internal guidelines for making judgements.
The interaction of the id, ego, and superego has a powerful influence on an individual, with these elements developing at different stages of life.
When the ego and the superego are not in conflict, it can be difficult to separate one from the other. The outlines of the superego might only become clear when faced with criticism or hostility.
The superego tries to force the ego to act morally rather than realistically, striving for perfection, without taking reality into account.
In this way, the superego acts as a moral and ethical code for the way we live our lives. It's present in the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious.
The superego has two parts. The first part, the conscience, holds information about things that are viewed badly by society and lead to punishment, feelings of guilt, or negative consequences.
If you have a relentlessly critical inner voice, or feel as though you are your own hardest critic, you probably have a strong superego. It can feel like living with a harsh parental authority.
The superego is where we hold our sense of right and wrong. It contains the internalized ideals and moral standards we acquire from our parents and society.
If you give in to the desires of the id, the superego is the part of your consciousness that will make you feel guilt or even shame about your actions.
The second part, known as the ego ideal, contains the rules and standards of behavior that are aspired to, by the ego.
On the flip side, when you suppress your most primal urges and desires, the superego might make you feel good about your behavior.
Freud believed that neuroses are caused by an overly dominant superego, while psychoses are caused by an overly dominant id.
A personality that can balance between the aspirations of the superego, desires of the id, and reality regulating ego is a healthy one, according to Freud's conceptualization.
Sources: (Verywell Mind) (Britannica) (Discover Magazine) (GoodTherapy)
Rather than being a singular component, Sigmund Freud theorized that personality is complex and is made up of several parts.
There are three distinct elements to the personality: the id, the ego, and the superego. They work together to form complex human behaviors, according to Freud's psychoanalytic theory.
Other parts of the personality work alongside these unconscious desires. They give you the ability to balance the demands of reality with these urges, to counteract or temper them.
Freud believed that by accessing repressed memories or emotions from the subconscious mind, a person could find the root of the problem between the ego, superego, and the id.
Certain aspects of personality are primal, occurring in the unconscious part of the psyche. They pressure a person to act on their base instincts.
The superego tries to civilize our behavior by suppressing all of the unacceptable urges of the id, while trying to force the ego to act on idealistic standards rather than what's realistic.
The id represents the driving force behind a person's desires. It's the unregulated part of the psyche, where animalistic compulsion resides.
Freud believed the symptoms of neurosis or psychosis would present when the ego tried to regain control over the id or superego.
A harsh superego can feel like something internal that is intent on destruction and, ironically, that person might turn to vices to escape the persecutory voice inside.
Shifting from a harsh to a supportive superego takes work, but it's possible. Meditation, journaling, and speaking to a psychoanalyst can help access the subconscious mind, bringing awareness to the feelings generated by the harsh superego.
Do you recognize your superego?
Understanding your moral compass
LIFESTYLE Psychology
What is the unconscious mind? All the drives we don't necessarily see, or understand, about ourselves. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, was the first person to differentiate between aspects of the unconscious. According to him, there were three parts: the id, the ego, and the superego. These parts form what is the basis of our personality, the way we relate to the world. Of these three, the superego is the last part to develop, and acts as our moral compass in this world. But how much of this learned way of interpreting the world is helpful, and does our unconscious judge have the potential to become harmful?
Curious? Click on to learn about the superego, and how it affects your responses and decision-making.