Defense Mechanisms

Question 1

Plausible reasons justify an action or opinion; Helps the person cope by blaming external circumstances

Answer 1

Rationalization

Question 2

After not getting a job he applied for, “I’ll be better off at a different company.”

Answer 2

Rationalization

Question 3

After getting turned down for a date, she says, “That person is really snobby.”

Answer 3

Rationalization

Question 4

An abused spouse hitting her children as “punishment” after being hit by her spouse

Answer 4

Rationalization

Question 5

Alcoholics analogy

Answer 5

Rationalization

Question 6

Restraint of a feeling; refuses to let into awareness unacceptable impulses but remains unconscious operant in behavior

Answer 6

Repression

Question 7

Sexually attracted to the opposite sex but pushes away this intolerable thought from consciousness only to later dream about such sexual impulses

Answer 7

Repression

Question 8

After years of celibacy, the person begins to eat copious amounts of food

Answer 8

Repression

Question 9

A young boy has a phobia of dogs but cannot remember the first time he was afraid of them

Answer 9

Repression

Question 10

Redirect negative emotion from the original source to a less threatening recipient; affect is transferred from one object to another

Answer 10

Displacement

Question 11

A person compulsively eats lollipops after having quit smoking

Answer 11

Displacement

Question 12

A person begins to compulsively wash her hands after being shamed for masturbating

Answer 12

Displacement

Question 13

A man yells at his spouse because he is unable to express anger towards his boss

Answer 13

Displacement

Question 14

Qualities of an external object are absorbed into one’s personality

Answer 14

Identification

Question 15

A Bruce Lee fan becomes a disciplined martial art champion

Answer 15

Identification

Question 16

A young person decides to follow in her father’s footsteps and becomes a lawyer

Answer 16

Identification

Question 17

Content is separated from repressed affect; thinking is used to avoid feeling

Answer 17

Intellectualization

Question 18

Speaking of a traumatic childhood as if reading a scripted story

Answer 18

Intellectualization

Question 19

A victim of sexual assault researching factual PTSD criteria instead of addressing her emotional pain in therapy

Answer 19

Intellectualization

Question 20

Rigor or self-denial; abstinence from pleasure/denial from anything good

Answer 20

Asceticism

Question 21

An adult refuses to eat or sleep until a major work project is complete

Answer 21

Asceticism

Question 22

An adolescent copes with sexual tension and desire by refusing to engage in all pleasurable activities

Answer 22

Asceticism

Question 23

Unacceptable impulses are expressed as their opposites; behaves in the opposite way that he thinks/feels; helps release anxiety and guilt associated with the true impulse

Answer 23

Reaction Formation

Question 24

An angry supervisee being overly nice to his supervisor

Answer 24

Reaction Formation

Question 25

Opposite sex bullying

Answer 25

Reaction Formation

Question 26

A parent with an unwanted child being overly protective

Answer 26

Reaction Formation

Question 27

A man who is gay and openly dates women and criticizes gay men

Answer 27

Reaction Formation

Question 28

The internalization of outside events or characteristics of other people

Answer 28

Introjection and Internalization

Question 29

A victim who identifies with the aggressor's behaviors to help protect himself

Answer 29

Introjection and Internalization

Question 30

A person putting on her seat belt before driving away in her car

Answer 30

Introjection and Internalization

Question 31

Places unacceptable feelings from the person feeling them onto another person

Answer 31

Projection

Question 32

A highly anxious colleague complains about another colleague's anxieties

Answer 32

Projection

Question 33

A person complains that no one likes him but in reality he does not like himself or others

Answer 33

Projection

Question 34

Distorts reality and does not acknowledge emotion; refusal to accept

Answer 34

Denial

Question 35

A person continues to eat unhealthy foods despite his doctor's orders to eat healthier

Answer 35

Denial

Question 36

An alcoholic attends a recovery program but continues to drink alcohol

Answer 36

Denial

Question 37

Displace/transform unacceptable instincts for constructive and socially acceptable behaviors

Answer 37

Sublimation

Question 38

A person with major depression uses professional dance to help suicidal thoughts

Answer 38

Sublimation

Question 39

A person with aggressive impulses becomes a kickboxing instructor

Answer 39

Sublimation

Question 40

Avoid being punished for undesirable thoughts or actions

Answer 40

Undoing

Question 41

A spouse unconsciously undoes his many adulterous acts by buying his partner lavish gifts

Answer 41

Undoing

Question 42

A person is overly nice to a person she had just insulted in her mind

Answer 42

Undoing