Question

You refuse your co-worker's offer of a cigarette during your break, knowing that you're only allowing yourself to have 5/day and you want to save your next one for later.

A) Id
B) Ego
C) Superego
D) None of the above

Answer 1

Refusing a cigarette to stick to a personal limit involves the Ego, which makes decisions based on the reality principle. It allows for satisfying desires realistically and socially acceptably.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenario described relates to components of the human psyche as outlined by Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory. In this situation, if you are refusing the cigarette in order to adhere to a personal rule or limit that you have set for yourself (such as only allowing yourself to have 5 cigarettes per day), then the Ego is the component at play. The Ego operates according to the reality principle, trying to meet the desires of the Id (which would want the immediate gratification of smoking the cigarette) in a manner that is socially acceptable and realistic. You are not acting out of the Id, which would seek immediate pleasure, nor the Superego, which would be concerned with moral ideals and would likely seek to avoid smoking entirely due to health considerations.