Denny works in an office with about 50 other attorneys. The environment is fiercely competitive because many of them want to be made a partner in the firm. In an effort to gain some ground, Denny began spreading harmful rumors about two of his coworkers. Even though Denny knew that the rumors could ultimately impact their career in a negative manner, he still chose to engage in the rumor-spreading behavior. Which of the following, according to Freud's theory, would likely be the cause of Denny's malicious acts?
A)the death instinct
B)an unsuccessful resolution of the latency stage
C)the ego ideal
D)the superego

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This part of the id houses aggressive and destructive impulses. Rumor-spreading in an effort to derail someone's career, or at least chance for promotion, is clearly aggressive and destructive.

Denny Works in an Office with About 50 Other Attorneys