Difference Between Ego and Superego

Ego vs Superego

 

Although both ego and superego are often regarded as similar, there are a number of differences between them. Ego and Superego can be understood as two different terms used in Psychology. In Sigmund Freud’s works of psychoanalysis, Freud speaks of three types of the human psyche. They are Id, Ego, and Superego. In this sense, both Ego and Super Ego can be considered as two types of the human psyche. Also, Ego and Superego are both considered as important by psychologists who research on this field of expertise. Ego can be understood as the part of the personality which is aware of the reality. Superego, on the other hand, is the part of the personality which operates on the morality principle. This highlights the basic difference between the two types, ego and superego.

What is Ego?

Ego can simply be identified as the part of the personality that operates on the reality principle. It is often referred to as the common sense. It takes what is real or extracts what is real. It is the response of the human mind to what is real. The real duty of the ego is to strike the perfect balance between the desires of the human being and the reality of these desires. It aims at reality and not the fantasies. Thus, ego reacts to the desires in a perfect manner possible. It filters only the real and allows the unreal to drain. Ego does not pay attention to the selflessness of actions, but concentrates solely on the reality of life. Hence, ego does not polish the human behavior. Instead, it filters the reality part of life and makes one more acquainted with his identity.

What is Superego?

The superego, on the other hand, is the conscience part of the mind. It works on the mind to remind of the goodness in us. In short, it can be said that the superego reminds one to be good. This is why it has been stated that superego works on the morality principle. It makes human beings feel small before their actions and performances, if they are wrong by moral standards. This can be equated to the scolding of a mother or the admonishing of a teacher. The Superego has the ability to make people feel remorse and melancholy. It evokes the feeling of shame for inflicting pain or sorrow in the life of others. It can simply be said that the superego is nothing short of the conscience of a human being.

Another interpretation that highlights the difference between the ego and superego is as follows. The personality of a human being is shaped by his ego. However, the character of the human being is shaped by his superego. This is because the sense of morality is engraved into the human mind through the superego. One can even claim that the superego makes a man perfect. It polishes the human behavior and makes the human being socially acceptable. It also causes selflessness.  Superego paves the way for man to be more and more social and selfless in his attitude. This is one of the main differences between ego and superego. It is important to note that both ego and superego can be at one and the same place for that matter. If you fall a prey to the guiles of materialistic pleasures at some point in life, you are gripped by ego. Later you are gripped by the sense of shame and repentance due to the human psyche of superego.

What is the Difference Between Ego and Superego?

• The Ego operates on the reality principle whereas the Superego operates on the morality principle.
• The Ego makes an individual concentrate solely on reality that causes him to be selfish, but the Superego causes an individual to be selfless.
• The personality is shaped by Ego whereas the character is shaped the Superego.
• Ego does not polish human behavior, but the Superego does.

Image courtesy:

1. Structural-Iceberg.svg- 1 by historicair (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
2. Id_ego_super_ego-2 by ৰঞ্জন ভূঞা CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons