National Counselor Exam (NCE)

Freud is to ego, id, and superego as ___________ is to parent, adult, and child.

1. Jung

2. Berne

3. Adler

4. Maslow

The correct answer is: Berne

The correct response identifies Berne's transactional analysis, where the concepts of 'parent,' 'adult,' and 'child' reflect different aspects of the human psyche. Just as Freud delineated the mind into the id (instinctual drives), ego (the rational self), and superego (moral conscience), Berne proposed a similar framework for understanding interpersonal transactions and individual behavior. In this model, the 'parent' represents the internalized attitudes and behaviors derived from authority figures, the 'adult' symbolizes rational thought and objective processing of information, and the 'child' embodies the emotional, spontaneous, and instinctual responses rooted in childhood experiences. This framework offers a practical approach to understanding how individuals interact with themselves and with others, resonating with Freudian theories but focused more on social and relational dynamics. The other figures mentioned, such as Jung, Adler, and Maslow, contributed significant theories in psychology but did not specifically create a model that directly parallels Freud’s tripartite structure in the same manner as Berne's transaction analysis does. Jung focused on archetypes and the collective unconscious, Adler emphasized social interest and inferiority complexes, while Maslow is known for the hierarchy of needs. Thus, Berne’s framework is the