Which statement is true about the superego?
A) The superego is present in newborn children.
B) The healthiest personality is one in which superego has control over ego and id.
C) The actions of the superego are based on the reality principle.
D) The superego represents society's standards and values.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The superego is the part of the personality that represents society's standards and values. It develops as a child internalizes the moral and ethical codes of their culture and experiences parental and societal expectations. A healthy balance between the superego, ego, and id is ideal, but the superego should not have complete control over the ego and id - this would lead to a rigid and overly moralistic personality that is unable to adapt to changing circumstances (option B). The superego operates on the morality principle rather than the reality principle (option C), which is the domain of the ego. The superego does not develop until around age five, so it is not present in newborns (option A).

Which Statement Is True About the Superego