Classical Psychoanalytic Model of Defense Mechanisms

Question 1

What is Mechanisms of Defense?

Answer 1

Procedures the ego makes for fulfilling it’s task - of avoiding danger, anxiety and unpleasure.

Question 2

In what two ways does Classical psychoanalysis view defenses?

Answer 2

1. From an intra-psychic perspective, placing conflict at the heart of psychic life.
2. Conflict develops between the different agencies of the mind. Adaption is made possible by defenses.

Question 3

What are defenses and where do they operate?

Answer 3

Behaviors, thoughts or feelings used to avoid psychodynamic conflict operating outside of the realm of consciousness.

Question 4

What is the purpose of a defense?

Answer 4

• minimize conflict
• reduce tension
• maintain intra psychic equilibrium
• regulate self-esteem
• helps one deal with internal and external sources of anxiety.

Question 5

What is the primary classical mechanism of defense?

Answer 5

Repression

Question 6

Define Repression

Answer 6

The pushing back of unacceptable wishes from consciousness.

Question 7

How does repression effect reality and consciousness?

Answer 7

Ensures that wishes which are incompatible with reality remain unconscious or disguised.

Question 8

What does “return of the repressed” mean?

Answer 8

The tension and anxiety remains, other defenses surface to alleviate the resulting conflict, reduce tension and stabilize the personality.

Question 9

What is the cost of repression?

Answer 9

Distorting internal reality.

Question 10

Define Defense Restructioning

Answer 10

Identifying and giving up on phobic behavior.

Question 11

Define Affect Restructuring

Answer 11

Helps the patient experience affect without excessive inhibition, and to express it appropriately.

Question 12

Define Self and Other Restructioning

Answer 12

Changing the view of self and others.

Question 13

What is an Affect Phobia?

Answer 13

A fear of feeling.
The inhibitory affects (anxieties) centering around assertion.
Internal phobias about feelings.
Develop in the process of growing up.

Question 14

What are considered the basics of Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (STDP)?

Answer 14

Defense Restructuring and Affect Restructuring.

Question 15

Defense Recognition

Answer 15

helps patients recognize their phobic avoidance of adaptive feeling.

Question 16

Defense Relinquishing

Answer 16

Giving up the maladaptive response

Question 17

Affect Experiencing

Answer 17

systematic desensitization: Exposing the patient to the physiological experience of the conflicted affect.

Question 18

How is STDP different from classical psychoanalysis and long term dynamic psychotherapy?

Answer 18

therapist is not “neutral,” but actively engaged.

Question 19

What is an Affect?

Answer 19

Emotions and feelings that motivate us or move us to act.

Question 20

What responses do affects elicit?

Answer 20

Interest, joy, anger, sorrow, fear, shame and contempt.

Question 21

What is are feelings?

Answer 21

The conscious experience of emotion or affect. Can be outside of conscious awareness.

Question 22

What are the four most agreed upon Basic Affects?

Answer 22

Sorrow, Anger, Joy, Fear

Sad, Mad, Glad, Fear

Question 23

What are the 2nd most agreed upon affects?

Answer 23

Excitement Shame Contempt/Disgust Tenderness/Care

Question 24

What are the 2 groups of Affects?

Answer 24

Activating and inhibitory.

Question 25

What is a Psychodynamic Conflict

Answer 25

Activating and inhibiting affects are intrapsychic forces pushing in opposite directions.

Question 26

What are the 3 main steps in Systematic Desensitization (graded exposure)?

Answer 26

1. Exposure - Facing the feared stimuli 2. Response Prevention - Discouraging maladaptive avoidant response prevention. 3. Anxiety Regulation - Decreasing anxiety exposure and response prevention.

Question 27

Describe "Authentic Functioning".

Answer 27

Living in the moment and responding deeply and genuinely, but always mindfully of others.

Question 28

How does the Relational Model see defense mechanisms?

Answer 28

As a protective shield in which the authentic self is held.

Question 29

Relationally what does a defense mechanism do?

Answer 29

Forms a part of the attempt to help in the development of a “true” or “nuclear” self in the face of a defective relational environment.

Question 30

How does Bowlby re-frame defenses?

Answer 30

In interpersonal terms based on Attachment Theory.

Question 31

Coping Mechanisms are aimed at what?

Answer 31

Dealing with problems in the external world. They are conscious and mobilized to deal with external rather than internal threat.

Question 32

What does the Triangle of Conflict describe?

Answer 32

The mechanism of phobic avoidance of feelings.

Question 33

What are the 3 poles of the Triangle of Conflict?

Answer 33

Feelings (F) - Adaptive Feelings/Activation Defense (D) - Behaviors, Thoughts and Feelings. Anxiety/Inhibition (A) - Anxiety,Guilt, Shame, Pain

Question 34

What does the Triangle of Persons represent?

Answer 34

Where Affect Phobias occur.

Question 35

What are the 3 poles of the Triangle of Persons?

Answer 35

``` Past Person (P) - with whom the Affect Phobia originated Current Person )C) - with whom the Affect Phobia is maintained Therapist (T) - with whom the Affect Phobia can be examined ```

Question 36

What is Self and Other-Restructuring?

Answer 36

Helping the patient improve relationships and gain positive feelings toward the self.

Question 37

How does Alexander and French define the Corrective Emotional Experience?

Answer 37

"Reexperiencing the old, unsettled conflict but with a new ending."

Question 38

What are the 2 components of Defense Restructuring?

Answer 38

Defense Recognition: Seeing the problematic behavior. | Defense Relinquishing: Wanting to stop.

Question 39

What are the 2 components of Affect Restructuring?

Answer 39

Affect Experiencing: Feeling the avoided or phobic feeling. | Affect Expression: Learning to express the feeling appropriately.

Question 40

What are the 2 components of Self and Other-Restructuring?

Answer 40

Self Restructuring: Improving self-image and building self-care. Other Restructuring: Building more adaptive perceptions of and connections to others.