Id, Ego and Superego
The id forms the instinctual, mostly psychophysiological basis of the whole structure. The
ego, which is mostly based on the id, is the part that comes in
contact with the external
world. It is formed by the process of contact with and adaptation to the environment, mostly the parents. The
superego is a structure that forms the apex of the
psychic structure and includes the
ideals of the
personality and the principles of
judgment. It is the seat of
what is customarily called the conscience. It develops mainly by internalizing and identifying with the prohibitions, rules, values, and
preferences of the parents and society at large. The sequence of
development in the
Diamond Approach follows the line of
regression of this structure. The part last formed and organized, the superego, becomes the first part the individual deals with and understands. Then the ego becomes the focus, and finally the id itself with its instincts and drives.