Counselor Education Comprehensive Exam (CECE) Practice Exam

Id, ego, superego, defense mechanisms, fixation, and the psychosexual theory of personality were all developed by:

1. Erik Erikson

2. Abraham Maslow

3. Sigmund Freud

4. Konrad Lorenz

The correct answer is: Sigmund Freud

The concept of the id, ego, and superego, along with defense mechanisms, fixation, and the psychosexual theory of personality, is fundamentally rooted in the work of Sigmund Freud. Freud, who is often referred to as the father of psychoanalysis, developed these theories as part of his broader understanding of human psyche and behavior. The id represents primal desires, the ego mediates between the id and reality, and the superego encompasses moral standards and ideals. Defense mechanisms are coping strategies that the ego utilizes to manage anxiety arising from internal conflicts between the id and superego. Fixation occurs when an individual becomes stuck at a particular stage of psychosexual development, which can influence their personality and behavior in adulthood. Freud’s psychosexual stages of development, which include oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages, are critical in understanding how personality develops according to his theory. Therefore, Freud's contributions are pivotal to the formulation of these foundational concepts in psychology.