By Blake Robinett
October 18, 2018
Have you ever thought about how many decisions you make? We constantly think about what clothes to wear, what to eat, or even what to say in conversation. Our lives could be thought of as a timeline of decisions that have lead us to where we are now. Most of these are simple, such as the ones mentioned before, but some of them can be very tough. Just as there are many types of decisions, there are many factors that make certain decisions so difficult. There are even more ways to go about making the right choice for each of them.
Superego is roughly defined as the part of our decision making that factors in ethical and moral factors (Merriam Webster). Recognizing these decisions is the first step towards bettering your decision making. When we know the answer to a question in class, we may be tempted to blurt it out. When angry, we may be tempted to take it out on someone else. When told a secret, we may be tempted to tell others about it. These are all examples of urges we have, but hopefully suppress. These are generally subconscious decisions that are made by our superego.
We’re able to make these good decisions because our superego has become finely tuned after years of constant development. The words and actions of those around us throughout the years have influenced us and contributed to the development of our superego. Superego never stops developing, which means that we can make a conscious effort to change the way we make decision. Once we begin actively thinking about decisions, good decisions will become much more natural. Over time, this will naturally affect the way we make subconscious decisions as well.
Deciding whether to cheat on a test, lying to someone close, or taking credit for someone else’s work are all examples of conscious decisions that we make. Again, our superego is the main thing driving our decision-making in these situations, just in a different way. We consciously have to make the decision to do right or wrong.
There are many different strategies for making moral and ethical decisions (Nicholson). Nicholson in his article “5 Tips for Better Decision Making” discusses great strategies for how to begin making better decisions. Take time making decisions. Make sure to think about the situation to fully process all the information and to not forget something important that may affect your thinking. Make sure you have enough information to ensure a good decision. If you’re able to ask “what if?” when considering options, then you may need to seek out more information. These specific strategies will help you make decisions in the short term. In the long term, it may be helpful to take some time to create rules for yourself. Thinking about potential decisions you may need to make in the future will help you when those situations arise, as you’ll already have a guide for what to do in that specific situation or a similar one (Nicholson). You may need to talk all of these things out with someone close who would give you good advice.
Decisions are a part of everyday life. Our conscious decisions, our ethics and morals, tend to influence our subconscious. Making good decisions is a life skill that you should strive to improve. This can be accomplished by giving yourself enough time to consider everything, attempting to create a mental guide to follow, and by getting advice from an outside perspective. Remember that all of your past decisions have lead you here. Where will your future decisions lead you with these strategies in mind?
References:
Mcleod, Saul. “Id, Ego and Superego.” Id Ego Superego | Simply Psychology, Simply Psychology, 5 Feb. 2017, www.simplypsychology.org/psyche.html.
“Superego.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superego.
Jeremy Nicholson "5 Tips for Better Decision Making." www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/persuasion-bias-and-choice/201806/5-tips-better-decision-making.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Infuse Student Media or Southwest Baptist University.
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