DEFENSE MECHANISM Flashcards
These are mental processes that are usually unconscious, protective barriers that are used to manage instinct and affect in the presence of stressful situations
Ego defense mechanism
Defense mechanism
Mental mechanism
Functions of defense mechanism
To resolve mental conflict
To reduce anxiety or fear
To protect one’s self esteem
To protect one’s sense of security
are thought to safeguard the mind against feelings and thoughts that are too difficult for the conscious mind to cope with.
Defense Mechanism
Wilfully or voluntarily putting an unacceptable thought of feeling out of one’s mind with the ability to recall the thought or feeling at will.
Suppression
refers to unconsciously blocking out painful or unacceptable thoughts and feelings, leaving them to operate in the subconscious.
Repression
The person is unable to recall painful or unpleasant thoughts and feelings because they are automatically and involuntarily pushed into one’s consciousness.
Repression
A woman who was sexually abused as a young child can’t remember the abuse but experiences uneasy feelings when she goes near the place where the abuse occurred.
Repression
The act of making up for a real or imagined inability or deficiency with a specific behavior to maintain self-respect or self-esteem
Compensation
This is used unconsciously to justify ideas, actions, or feelings with good, acceptable reasons or explanations.
Rationalization
It is used to maintain self-respect, prevent guilt feelings, and obtain social approval or acceptance.
Rationalization
not only prevents anxiety, but it may also protect self-esteem and selfconcept.
Rationalization
makes excuses for shortcomings and avoids self-condemnation, displacements, and criticisms.
Rationalizing patient
An individual states that she didn’t win the race because she hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep.
Rationalization
Unconsciously, people use it in an attempt to identify with the personality and traits of others.
Identification
The person exaggerates or overdevelops certain actions by displaying exactly the opposite behavior, attitude or feelings from what he normally would show in a given situation.
Reaction formation
This mechanism is considered a protective drive by which the person prevents painful, undesirable, or unacceptable attitudes toward others from emerging.
Reaction formation
treating someone you strongly dislike in an excessively friendly manner in order to hide your true feelings.
Reaction formation
The unconscious act or replacing a goal when it is blocked.
Substitution
It is also defined as the replacement of consciously unacceptable emotions, drives, attitudes or needs by those that are more acceptable
Substitution
A mechanism that serves to transfer feelings such as frustration, hostility, or anxiety from one idea, person, or object to another.
Displacement
The substitute target is less threatening and allows the person to release emotional reactions
Displacement
The negation of previously consciously intolerable action or experiences to reduce or alleviate feelings of guilt.
Restitution or undoing
Making up for wrongdoings
Restitution or undoing