defense mechanism Flashcards
(20 cards)
denial
obliteration of perception rather than memories
splitting
keep apart 2, usually opposing feelings/thoughts
dissociation
allows an essentially undisguised idea to be placed in split-off context so that it can be disavowed by self
projection
attributing some aspects of oneself or a feeling to another person
introjection
process of attributing aspect of another person to oneself
projective identification
attributing states of mind to another person and relation to them as if they embodied projection
omnipotence
illusion of unlimited power, with no awareness that others have separate locus of control
idealization
conviction that another person to whom one can become attached is omnipotent and benevolent
manic defences
group of defenses distinguished by their aim of denying depressive anxiety and guilt
repression
unconsciously purposeful forgetting
displacement
process of substituting one object/person for another (e.g. angry at boss, but yelling at wife)
reaction formation
transforms a disturbing idea into its opposite (e.g. liking someone but telling everyone that you hate him)
undoing
uses designated actions or thoughts to neutralize something that was said or done
reversal
switching one’s position from subject to object or vice versa
isolation
involves severing connection between feeling and knowing
intellectualization
talking about feelings in an emotionally disconnected manner
conversion
transforms psychisch conflict into somatic symptoms
acting out
discharging into action a disturbing feeling so as to avoid thinking about it
rationalization
turning something unacceptable into something acceptable
sublimation
directing a forbidden impulse toward a typically socially acceptable end (e.g. going kickboxing when angry)
