ego is a term that has different meanings in different contexts. In psychology, ego is usually used to refer to the part of the personality that mediates between the id, the instinctive and unconscious part of the mind, and the superego, the moral and social part of the mind. The ego is responsible for perceiving, reasoning, planning, and acting in the external world. The ego is also influenced by the pleasure principle, which seeks immediate gratification of impulses, and the reality principle, which adapts to the demands of reality. The ego is often seen as a source of self-justification and self-enhancement, as well as a potential cause of conflict and anxiety.
