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This paper reviews both the clinical and the research literature on the origins of superego development in the practicing subphase of separation-individuation. Specifically, Schore examines the origin of the superego in its function as an autoregulator of affect. His thesis is that the affect of shame has a critical functional role as it emerges in object relational interactions between caretaker and child in the practicing subphase which leads to these interactions becoming internalized as a shame regulatory system. Further, this system is shown to contribute strongly to the resolution of the crucially important rapprochement crisis. The way in which the system contributes to the ego ideal component of the superego as a mood regulator is presented, as well as how its maldevelopment leads to narcissistic pathology. The literature presented is from psychoanalysis, infant research, developmental psychology, and neurobiology. The latter research presents the data about the underlying neurophysiologic substrate of brain structures and where they are in development during the practicing subphase. The importance of the autonomic nervous system is highlighted, in that the shame regulatory system operates to down-regulate a hyperaroused sympathetic dominated nervous discharge or to up-regulate a hypoaroused para-sympathetic dominated discharge. The importance of this preverbal self-regulatory ego ideal in setting basic mood and affect disposition, as well as self-esteem regulation, is emphasized.