Introduction

This introduction contextualises the various accounts, found in this book, of the role of the superego in psychoanalytic theory and development, in states of mind and in clinical contexts. It is argued that our sociality is as integral to our human beingness as our individuality and that these aspects are closely interwoven and deeply rooted in our psychology, neurobiology and physiology. The superego is the part of the mind that monitors, gauges and corrects our social standing with self and others according to the values we share with those within our social circles. The moral interface between individual and society is explored: when conflicts arise between personal and social needs, these are reconciled by the state (for societies) and the ego (for the individual). Extreme solutions to such conflicts by individuals in the direction of self-sacrifice (extremist fundamentalism) or self-preservation (psychopathy) are considered. It is argued that unless psychological development includes establishing an autonomous moral compass, a person’s conduct can be swayed by pressures from within and without. Psychoanalytic understanding may be necessary to promote this socially vital developmental achievement.