Question

John and Nancy really would like to have a new sports utility vehicle now, but with the newborn baby they can’t afford the monthly payments. After thinking about it, John says to Nancy, "I guess we’ll have to wait until we have the money to buy it." According to psychologist Sigmund Freud’s theory of personality, which level is illustrated by this example?

Answer 1

The correct answer is Ego

Ego, is based on the principle of reality. This reality is acquired through the socio-cultural environment, where the ego, when assimilating this environment, begins to strive to satisfy the ID's desires in a realistic and socially appropriate way.

Ego, what can be called the reality principle, ponders the costs and benefits of an action, before deciding to act on giving up or giving in to impulses. ID impulses can be satisfied through a delayed gratification process.

As the ID calls, the ego will eventually allow behavior, only at the appropriate time and place. This will prevent embarrassing or inappropriate situations from occurring. That is, even if there is an absurd will to act on impulse, the ego comes and handles that will, adapting the action to the inserted social environment.  

According to the studies, the ego also discharges the tension created by unmet impulses through the secondary process, in which the ego tries to find an object in the real world that corresponds to the mental image created by the main process of the ID.