The Superego The superego is the moral part of us, reflecting the internalization of cultural rules, mainly taught by parents or situation COMMONLIT applying their guidance and influence. For example, the superego would tell a child not to hit another child because that would be morally wrong. According to Freud, "The Super-ego can be thought of as a type of conscience that punishes misbehavior with feelings of guilt." working in controdiction to the id. The superego strives to act in a socially appropriate manner whereas the id just wants instant self-gradification It controls our sense of right and wrong, and helps us fit into society by getting us to act in socially acceptable ways Freud believed that this part of human beings is not inborn, and that human beings do not develop the superego part of their mind until the age of five. In other words, he believed that human beings are not born with a moral sense but that they can develop it through the rules and expectations of our caregivers. Balancing Act According to Freud, most people should be able to balance the three parts of the unconscious mind in a way that keeps them happy and healthy. A successful person, he believed, would have a strong ego in order to satisfy its id and Its superego. Freud believed that when the three components become too out of balance. a person can suffer physical or emotional repercussions. It'person's id is too dominanc, he or she may indulge in harmful impulses without considering the consequences, Conversely if a person has an overly dominant superego, he or she may live an overly ordered, rigid life, may Ignore their own wants and needs, or may be too judgmental of others. In other words, Freud's theory of the human mind is that It is in a constant battle with itself-a conflict between the id, ego, and superego.