Thuy is faced with a dilemma. She lives in a war-torn country in which for years, the economy has been severely disrupted. In order to feed herself and her children, she steals food, but she feels a great sense of guilt when she does. According to Freud, the personality structure involved in stealing food is the ____, whereas the one involved in the associated guilt is the ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Freud's theory of the psyche, the ego is the component that deals with reality and tries to meet the needs of the id in a socially acceptable way. In Thuy's case, the ego is involved in the decision to steal food as a means of survival. The superego, on the other hand, is the part of the personality that holds moral standards, ideals, and conscience. It is responsible for the guilt Thuy feels after stealing, as it judges her actions against her internalized sense of right and wrong.

Thuy Is Faced with a Dilemma