Feist−Feist: Theories of
Personality, Seventh
EditionII. Psychodynamic
Theories(^36) 2. Freud: Psychoanalysis © The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2009
The Superego
In Freudian psychology, the superego, or above-I, represents the moral and ideal as-
pects of personality and is guided by the moralisticand idealistic principlesas op-
posed to the pleasure principle of the id and the realistic principle of the ego. The
superego grows out of the ego, and like the ego, it has no energy of its own. How-
ever, the superego differs from the ego in one important respect—it has no contact
with the outside world and therefore is unrealistic in its demands for perfection
(Freud, 1923/1961a).
The superego has two subsystems, the conscienceand the ego-ideal.Freud did
not clearly distinguish between these two functions, but, in general, the conscience
results from experiences with punishments for improper behavior and tells us what
we should not do,whereas the ego-ideal develops from experiences with rewards for
proper behavior and tells us what we should do.A primitive conscience comes into
existence when a child conforms to parental standards out of fear of loss of love or
approval. Later, during the Oedipal phase of development, these ideals are internal-
ized through identification with the mother and father. (We discuss the Oedipus com-
plex in a later section titled Stages of Development.)
A well-developed superego acts to control sexual and aggressive impulses
through the process of repression.It cannot produce repressions by itself, but it can
order the ego to do so. The superego watches closely over the ego, judging its actions
and intentions. Guilt is the result when the ego acts—or even intends to act—con-
trary to the moral standards of the superego. Feelings of inferiority arise when the
ego is unable to meet the superego’s standards of perfection. Guilt, then, is a func-
tion of the conscience, whereas inferiority feelings stem from the ego-ideal (Freud,
1933/1964).
The superego is not concerned with the happiness of the ego. It strives blindly
and unrealistically toward perfection. It is unrealistic in the sense that it does not take
30 Part II Psychodynamic Theories
FIGURE 2.3 The Relationship among Id, Ego, and Superego in Three Hypothetical
Persons.
A pleasure-seeking person
dominated by the id
A guilt-ridden or inferior-
feeling person dominated
by the superego
A psychologically healthy
person dominated by
the ego
Id Ego Superego