Certified Medical Assistant Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT a component of Sigmund Freud's theories of psychology?

1. Behaviorism

2. Id

3. Ego

4. Superego

The correct answer is: Behaviorism

Behaviorism is not a component of Sigmund Freud's theories. Freud's approach, known as psychoanalysis, focuses on the dynamics of the mind and proposes the existence of three key components: the id, ego, and superego. The id is the primal part of the psyche that contains our basic instincts and drives, operating on the pleasure principle. The ego, developing from the id, is the rational part that governs reality and mediates between the desires of the id and moral restrictions of the superego. The superego, on the other hand, embodies moral standards and ideals acquired from parents and society, often imposing guilt when we violate these standards. Behaviorism, pioneered by psychologists such as John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner, focuses on observable behaviors rather than internal mental processes, which distinguishes it fundamentally from Freud's theories.