

Usually, at this age, a child learns how to behave according to social norms via the instruction of the parents. Superego, on the other hand, as the third and last component of the psyche, is evident after five years of age. To sum it all up, ego serves three distinct masters the Id, the superego, and reality.Įgo develops after the Id, usually during the first three years of a child’s life. It employs defense mechanisms and is modified by the events and things in the external environment. It does this by using feelings of guilt and shame.Įgo is often called the reason and common sense of a person. The role of the superego is to constrict both the Id and ego (in extension, behavior) to ascribe to moral and ethical norms. Superego is often attributed as the conscience, but it also encompasses spiritual goals and ego ideals. It views that the Id is a direct opposition to the rules and norms of society. Meanwhile, the superego is a direct contradiction of the Id. With regards to the superego, the ego negotiates with that particular part. In controlling the Id, ego employs two mechanisms regarding gratification, instant gratification and delayed gratification. It is also concerned about long-term benefits and consequences. It pleases the Id as well as controls it to a certain extent. Relative to the Id (the part of the psyche that seeks passion, fantasies, impulses, and other human instincts), the ego is the one that controls the Id with respect to environment factors and reality. On the other hand, the superego maintains a more critical and moralizing role on the individual. It functions according to the reality principle. Both the ego and the superego are present in the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious state of the person.Įgo is considered as the organized, rational, and reality-oriented part of the brain/model. These two concepts were presented by Sigmund Freud, a leading figure in psychology.īoth concepts are identified in the structural model of the psyche and are also influenced by a third component, Id.

Both ego and superego are two fundamental concepts in psychology used to identify the structure of the mind or the psyche.
