Freud believed that the development of the superego is accomplished by identification with the aggressor, the parent of the same sex. Which mechanism is this?

• A. Repression
• B. Sublimation
• C. Identification with the aggressor
• D. Projection

Answer: (C)

Identification with the aggressor is the mechanism by which the superego forms. In Freud’s view, a child experiences conflict and anxiety around a powerful, often punitive parent of the same sex. To manage that fear, the child begins to imitate and take on the parent’s traits, authority, and moral rules. Through this identification, the child internalizes the parent’s standards and conscience, shaping the inner sense of right and wrong that guides behavior—the superego. This isn’t about simply copying a role model or about pushing thoughts away (repression), channeling impulses into acceptable outlets (sublimation), or projecting one’s own impulses onto others. It’s specifically the process of adopting the aggressor’s values and authority to create an internal moral compass.