Question

The 'Superego' in Freud's levels of mind represents:

• A. Instinctual desires
• B. Rational decision-making
• C. Moral conscience
• D. Early childhood memories

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Moral conscience

Psychosexual  Developmental Theory by Freud 

• Psychosexual stages were given by Sigmund Freud.

• Freud believed that early experiences play a large role in personality development and continue to influence behavior in later  life.  

• Sigmund Freud believed that children can gain sexual  gratification from any part of their bodies and during childhood , they go through 5 psychosexual stages that shape their adult personality. 

The 5 Psychosexual Stages

Stage	Age	Erogenous Zone
Oral	0–1 year	Mouth (Sucking, biting)
Anal	1–3 years	Bowel/Bladder control
Phallic	3–6 years	Genitals
Latency	6–Puberty	sexual feelings are inactive
Genital	Puberty+	Maturing sexual interests

• According to Sigmund Freud there are 3 levels of mind

1. Conscious level 

2. Subconscious level 

3. Unconscious level 

• 3 stages of mind :

1. Id - Pleasure principle

2. Ego - Reality principle

3. Super ego - Morality principle

• The Superego acts as the internal representative of the rules and values of society. It is the part of the personality that tells us what we "should" or "ought" to do.

• Instinctual desires: This represents the Id, which is driven by the "Pleasure Principle" and seeks immediate gratification of basic needs.

• Rational decision-making: This represents the Ego, which operates on the "Reality Principle" and tries to balance the Id and Superego in a practical way.

• Early childhood memories: While these can exist in the Unconscious or Preconscious mind, they do not define the structural function of the Superego.