Defense mechinism Flashcards
Repression
Painful feelings are conscious initially and then forgotten but return occasionally. Ex. Forgetting the details of a really bad car accident.
Denial
A child who is told that her parents are divorcing may deny that it it happening or deny that she is upset about it. Unpleasant reality is ignored.
Suppression
Unpleasant feelings are suppressed through a conscious effort to ignore them. Ex. Fears can be replaced by thinking of a happy place, time, or event.
Projection
The undesirable feelings are attributed to another person or persons. Ex. An angry person believes others are angry at him/her, a person who is critical of others believes they are critical of him/her.
Displacement
Object displacement, anger or another emotion is initially felt toward a person against whom it is unsafe to express it. Ex. Involves taking out our frustrations, feelings, and impulses on people or objects that are less threatening.
Reaction Formation
Behavior that is diametrically opposed to the impulses or feelings that one is repressing. Ex. Treating someone you strongly dislike in an excessively friendly manner in order to hide your true feelings.
Regression
When people confronted by stressful events, people sometimes abandon coping strategies and revert to patterns of behavior used earlier in development.
Fixation
People with an oral fixation have problems with drinking, smoking, and nail biting when they are experiencing stressful events.
Identification
Taking on characteristics of someone else. Ex. Taking on characteristics of someone important - parent, athlete, celebrity,etc.
Rationalization
Attempt to deny one’s true motives by using logic or social reasons rather than their own. Ex. Person says “I don’t care if I wasn’t chosen for the team; I didn’t really want to play soccer anyway”.
Isolation
Compartmentalizations ones experience event becomes separated from the feelings that associated with it. Ex. Reading about the grieving process after a parents death. Not reacting in an expected way
Sublimation
Rechanneling energy into a way socially acceptable. Ex. Aggressive tendencies into contact sports
Compensation
Unusual efforts to overcome feelings of inferiority. Ex. Young person becomes physically disabled and compensates by working hard academically and becomes a doctor.
