ego defense mechanisms Flashcards
(19 cards)
compensation
overachievement in one area to offset real or perceived deficiencies in another area
-Napoleon complex: diminutive man becomes emperor
-Nurse with low self esteem working double shifts so her supervisor will like her
conversion
expression of an emotional conflict thought the development of a physical symptom, usually sensory motor in nature
-teenager forbidden to see x rated movies in tempted to do so by friends and develops blindness, and the teenager is unconcerned about the loss of sight
denial
failure to acknowledge an unbearable condition; failure to admit the reality of a situation or how one enables the problem to continue
-diabetic person eating chocolate candy
-spending money freely when broke
-waiting 3 days to seek help for severe abdominal pain
displacement
ventilation of intense feelings toward persons less threatening than the one who aroused those feelings
-person who is mad at the boss yells at their spouse
-child who this harassed by a bully at school mistreats their younger sibling
dissociation
dealing with emotional conflict by a temporary alteration in consciousness or identity
-amnesia that prevents recall of yesterday’s auto accident
-adult remembers nothing of their childhood sexual abuse
fixation
immobilization of a portion of the personality resulting from unsuccessful completion of tasks in a developmental stage
-never learning to delay gratification
-lack of a clear sense of identity as an adult
identification
modeling actions and opinions of influential others while searching for identity, or aspiring to reach a personal, social, or occupational goal
-nursing student becomes critical care nurse because this is the specialty of an instructor she admires
intellectualization
separation of the emotions of a painful event or situation from the facts involved; acknowledging the facts but not he emotions
-person shows no emotional expression when discussing serous car accident
introjection
accepting another person’s attitudes, beliefs, and values as one’s own
-person who dislikes guns, becomes an avid hunter just like his best friend
projection
unconscious blaming of unacceptable inclination or thoughts on external object
-man who has thought about same gender sexual relationship but never had one beats a man who is gay
rationalization
excusing own behavior to avoid guilt, responsibility, conflict, anxiety, or loss of self respect
-student blames failure on teacher being mean
-man says he beats his wife because she does not listen to him
reaction formation
acting opposite of what one thinks or feels
-woman who never wanted to have children becomes a super mom
-person who despises the boss tells everyone what a great boss they are
regression
moving back to a previous developmental stage to feel safe or have needs met
-a 5 year old asks for a bottle when the new baby is being fed
-man pouts like a 4 year old if he is not the center of the girlfriend’s attention
repression
excluding emotionally painful or anxiety provoking thoughts and feelings form conscious awareness
-woman has no memory of the mugging she suffered yesterday
-woman has no memory before age 7, when she was removed from abusive parents
resistance
over or covert antagonism toward remembering or processing anxiety producing information
-nurse is to busy with tasks to spend time talking to dying patient
-person attend court ordered treatment for alcoholism but refuses to participate
sublimation
substituting a socially acceptable activity for an impulse that is unacceptable
-person who has quit smoking sucks on a hard candy when the urge to smoke arises
-person goes on a 15 minute walk when tempted to eat junk food
substitution
replacing the desired gratification with one that is readily available
-woman who would like to have her own children opens a day care center
suppression
conscious exclusion of unacceptable thoughts and feeling from conscious awareness
-student decides not to think about a parent’s illness to study for a test
-woman tells a friend she cannot think about her son’s death right now
undoing
exhibiting acceptable behavior to make up for or negate unacceptable behavior
-person who cheats on spouse brings the spouse a bouquet of roses
-man who is ruthless in business donates large amounts of money to charity
