Names: ________________________________________________________
Psychodynamic Approach Worksheet
Directions: You will complete the following worksheet with your groups. Below are different
scenarios, as a group you will read the situations and decide which part of the personality, either
the id, the ego, or the superego, is being displayed. You will reason why you choose your
decision at the end of each scenario.
Situation 1:
Jillian was thirsty. Instead of waiting for the server to refill her glass of water, she reached across
the table and drank from date’s water glass.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Situation 2:
Jillian was thirsty. However, she knew that her server would be back soon to refill her water
glass, so she waited until then to get a drink, even though she really just wanted to drink from her
date’s glass.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Situation 3:
Lauren's mom had given her $50 to purchase groceries for dinner. Before the grocery store,
Lauren stopped at the mall and saw shoes that she really wanted. Although she was tempted to
use the money that her mom to make the purchase. she decided she better buy the shoes later so
she could buy food for dinner.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
→
Situation 4:
On Black Friday, customers were so obsessed with getting a good deal that they shoved others
out of their way and trampled them. They did not think twice about hurting people if it meant
they could get want they wanted.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Situation 5:
Tim really wanted to punch Mark for a mean comment Mark made. However, Tim knew if he hit
Mark, he would be kicked off the baseball team. Because he loved baseball, he unclenched his
fists and walked away.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Situation 6:
On the playground, two kids were making fun of George because he wore glasses. Lucy was
tempted to join in so that she could make herself look good, but when she thought about how bad
George must already feel, she knew that she couldn't.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Situation 7:
Mary really wanted to borrow her mom's necklace. Mary also knew her mom would be angry if
she took it without asking, so she asked her mom if she could wear it.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Psychodynamic Approach Worksheet Answer Key
Directions: You will complete the following worksheet with your groups. Below are different
scenarios, as a group you will read the situations and decide which part of the personality, either
the id, the ego, or the superego, is being displayed. You will reason why you choose your
decision at the end of each scenario.
Situation 1:
Jillian was thirsty. Instead of waiting for the server to refill her glass of water, she reached across
the table and drank from date’s water glass.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Id because Jillian was thirsty and impulsively took her date’s drink.
Situation 2:
Jillian was thirsty. However, she knew that her server would be back soon to refill her water
glass, so she waited until then to get a drink, even though she really just wanted to drink from her
date’s glass.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Ego because Jillian decided to wait for the server to refill her glass instead of leaving to get her
own drink (Superego) or drinking her date’s water (Id).
Situation 3:
Lauren's mom had given her $50 to purchase groceries for dinner. Before the grocery store,
Lauren stopped at the mall and saw shoes that she really wanted. Although she was tempted to
use the money that her mom to make the purchase. she decided she better buy the shoes later so
she could buy food for dinner.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Ego because Lauren made a compromise between buying groceries, which is what her mother
asked her to do, and buying the shoes she wanted.
→
Situation 4:
On Black Friday, customers were so obsessed with getting a good deal that they shoved others
out of their way and trampled them. They did not think twice about hurting people if it meant
they could get want they wanted.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Id because people acted impulsively and only thought about their own desires without any
consideration to others.
Situation 5:
Tim really wanted to punch Mark for a mean comment Mark made. However, Tim knew if he hit
Mark, he would be kicked off the baseball team. Because he loved baseball, he unclenched his
fists and walked away.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Ego because Tim made a compromise for himself. He had to choose between punching Mark and
doing letting Mark go even though he was very upset with him because he wanted to stay on the
team.
Situation 6:
On the playground, two kids were making fun of George because he wore glasses. Lucy was
tempted to join in so that she could make herself look good, but when she thought about how bad
George must already feel, she knew that she couldn't.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Superego because when Lucy thought about how bad Joseph already felt, Lucy knew that it was
wrong to participate in the jokes and that it went against the values her parents instilled in her.
Situation 7:
Mary really wanted to borrow her mom's necklace. Mary also knew her mom would be angry if
she took it without asking, so she asked her mom if she could wear it.
Which part of Freud’s personality does this demonstrates? Why do you believe this?
Ego because Mary came to the compromise of asking her mother to borrow the necklace before
taking it (Id) or not wearing it at all (Superego).