1. Freud

Question 1

Define Displacement

Answer 1

A defense mechanism in which a person redirects an emotional reaction from the rightful recipient onto another person or object.

e.g., if a manager screams at an employee, the employee doesn’t scream back – but he may yell at his spouse later that night.

Question 2

Define Sublimation

Answer 2

A defense mechanism that involves channeling unwanted or unacceptable urges into an admissible or productive outlet.

e.g., a woman who recently went through a breakup may channel her emotions into a home improvement project.

Question 3

Define projection

Answer 3

A process of displacing one’s feelings onto a different person, animal, or object.

e.g., if someone continuously bullies and ridicules a peer about his insecurities, the bully might be projecting his own struggle with self-esteem onto the other person.

Question 4

Define rationalization

Answer 4

A defense mechanism in which people justify difficult or unacceptable feelings with seemingly logical reasons and explanations.

e.g., a student who is rejected from her dream college may explain that she’s happy to be attending a school that’s less competitive and more welcoming

Question 5

Define regression

Answer 5

A defense mechanism in which people seem to return to an earlier developmental stage. This tends to occur around periods of stress – for example, an overwhelmed child may revert to bedwetting or thumb-sucking (reduce anxiety and feel psychologically safe)

Question 6

Define reaction formation

Answer 6

A defense mechanism in which people express the opposite of their true feelings, sometimes to an exaggerated extent. For instance, a man who feels insecure about his masculinity might act overly aggressive.