Ego psychology origins describe it as a reaction to which theory?

• A. They are the result of behaviorist influences
• B. They arose from the cognitive revolution
• C. They built on humanistic psychology
• D. Reaction to Freud

Answer: (D)

Ego psychology centers on the ego as an active, adaptive regulator that handles reality testing, problem solving, and coping with the environment, rather than just a slave to inner drives. This perspective arose as a response to Freud’s emphasis on unconscious drives and psychosexual determinants, which highlighted the primacy of instinctual forces like the id. Proponents argued that the ego has its own functions and development, focusing on how people adapt, defend themselves, and grow across life, not only on how drives mold behavior. By foregrounding the ego’s capabilities and its role in healthy functioning, ego psychology effectively shifts away from Freud’s drive-centered view.