Final answer:
The ego in Freud's model acts as the mediator between our primitive drives (id) and our moral compass (superego), working by the reality principle.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Sigmund Freud's model of the structure of personality, the ego serves as the rational part that balances the primitive drives of the id with the moral guidelines of the superego. The ego operates according to the reality principle, which is in stark contrast to the id's pleasure principle. The ego's role is to mediate between the id's demands for immediate gratification and the superego's push for moral behavior, facilitating decision-making that considers the realities of the world.
Therefore, the answer to the student's question is (c) The component of the personality that is readily seen by others, acting as the person's 'self'. This part of our personality, the ego, is what people see as our reasoned responses, our decision-making process, and our social demeanor.