Which statement about Freud's structural model is correct?

• A. The id mediates between the ego and the superego.
• B. The ego seeks immediate gratification.
• C. The id seeks immediate gratification and the ego mediates between the id and the superego.
• D. The superego is entirely derived from conscious thought.

Answer: (C)

The ego acts as the negotiator in Freud’s structural model, balancing the impulses of the id with the moral constraints of the superego while also considering reality. The id seeks immediate gratification, driven by the pleasure principle, so its demands are often urgent and impulsive. The ego, operating on the reality principle, tries to satisfy those wishes in practical and socially acceptable ways, delaying gratification when necessary to avoid punishment or negative consequences. The superego provides internalized standards and ideals, often generating guilt or pride based on whether actions align with those moral rules.

So, the statement that the id seeks immediate gratification and the ego mediates between the id and the superego fits this dynamic perfectly: the ego must bridge the impulsive wishes of the id and the moral constraints of the superego, all within the constraints of reality. It’s not the ego that pursues immediate gratification, and the id does not mediate between the ego and the superego. Also, the superego isn’t entirely conscious; it includes unconscious elements shaped by early experience and socialization.