According to psychodynamic theory, the level of the psyche that contains thoughts, feelings, and impulses not presently in awareness but that can more or less readily be called into consciousness.

• A. Preconscious mind
• B. Conscious mind
• C. Ego
• D. Id

Answer: (A)

The preconscious stores thoughts, memories, and feelings that aren’t in current awareness but can be brought into consciousness fairly easily. It sits just below what you’re actively thinking about, so with a cue or deliberate focus you can call this material to mind. That makes it the best fit for content you aren’t thinking about right now but can retrieve without much effort. In contrast, the conscious mind encompasses what you are aware of at this moment, and the unconscious contains mental content that’s hidden and not readily accessible. The id, ego, and superego aren’t levels of awareness; they’re different parts of personality structure that govern impulses, reality, and morality.