The part of the personality that mediates between conscious and the unconscious behaviour is:

IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026

Applied Psychology

Easy

Appeared in: IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg.Entrance-2026

Explanation

The Ego is the component of personality responsible for dealing with reality.
It operates on the 'reality principle', functioning as the executive part of the personality that mediates between the demands of the Id, the Superego, and the external world.
The Ego's role is to find realistic and socially acceptable ways to satisfy the Id's urges, while also adhering to the moral standards of the Superego.
It functions across all three levels of consciousness: conscious, preconscious, and unconscious.

Option A: The Superego is the moral component of personality, representing internalized societal and parental standards of right and wrong. It strives for perfection and morality, not mediation.
Option B: The Id is the most primitive part of the personality, operating entirely on the 'pleasure principle'. It seeks immediate gratification for all desires and urges and is not involved in mediation or reality testing.
Option D: The Super Ego and Id are the two conflicting forces within the personality. The Id represents primal urges, and the Superego represents moral constraints. They do not mediate; rather, they are the components that the Ego must mediate between.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality (Id, Ego, Superego) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the concepts of Id, Ego, and Superego helps nurses appreciate the internal conflicts that can drive a patient's behavior, especially when they act in ways that seem irrational or self-defeating.
Many psychological defense mechanisms (e.g., denial, rationalization) are understood as the Ego's unconscious efforts to manage anxiety arising from the conflict between the Id and Superego. Recognizing these in patients is a key nursing skill.
What if a patient has a poorly developed Ego? Such a person might struggle with impulse control (an overpowering Id) or be crippled by guilt and self-criticism (an overpowering Superego). Nursing care would need to focus on providing structure, setting firm boundaries, and reinforcing reality-based thinking.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keywords in the question stem: 'part of the personality', 'mediates', 'conscious and unconscious'.
The keyword 'mediates' is the most critical clue, as it points to a specific function.
Recall Sigmund Freud's structural model of personality, which consists of three parts: Id, Ego, and Superego.
Think about the primary function of each part: The Id seeks pleasure, the Superego seeks perfection/morality, and the Ego balances these with reality.
Match the function 'mediates' to the correct component. The Ego is defined as the mediator.
Evaluate the options. 'Ego' directly matches the definition. The other options represent the forces being mediated or are incorrect combinations.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality (Id, Ego, Superego)
Stem keywords: personality, mediates, conscious, unconscious behaviour
Lead-in keywords: is
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Psychology Baron Misra 5e Part 2 pp. 83-85, 84-86

E6 Psychology Morgan King 9e Part 2 p. 175-177