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Flashcards in Ego Defenses Deck (26)
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1
Q

Transference vs countertransference

A

Transference = patient projects feelings about formative or other important people onto the physician
- (i.e the patient views the physician as a father figure)

Countertransference = physician projects feelings about formative or other important people onto the patient
- (i.e the physician views the patient as a son/daughter)

2
Q

What are ego defenses

A

Thoughts and believes that can be involuntary or voluntary that a person expresses in order to resolve internal/external conflict and/or prevent undesirable feelings

3
Q

“Acting out”

A

An immature ego defense where the person subconsciously copes with stressors/conflicts by using actions rather than reflections or feelings

(I.e: a student skips school the next day after feeling discomfort about a previous test)

4
Q

“Denial”

A

An immature ego defense where a person avoids the awareness of some sort of painful reality

(I.e: a patient with cancer plans a busy work week after being warned about the fatigue side affects of chemotherapy)

5
Q

“Displacement”

A

An immature ego defense where a person redirects negative/unacceptable emotions or impulses to a neutral person or object unrelated to the source of emotion/impulses in order to alleviate the negative emotions/impulses

  • this differs from projection because an action is occurring to alleviate the emotions, not transferring the emotions to someone else in order to alleviate them.
  • this differs from sublimation because the action used to Alleviate the negative emotions/feelings are destructive/not socially acceptable.

(I.e: after being written up at work, a man goes home and yells at his significant other about the house being unkept instead of confronting his boss or HR)

6
Q

“Dissociation”

A

An immature ego defense where there is a temporary drastic change in personality/memories/consciousness or motor behavior to avoid a direct emotional stress.
- patient has incomplete or no memory of a traumatic event

(I.e: a victim of sexual abuse suddenly appears numb and detached when she is exposed to her abuser)

7
Q

“Fixation”

A

An immature ego defense where a person partially remains at a more childish level of development usually in response to stress
- this is voluntary (compared tor regression where it is involuntary)

(I.e: a surgeon throws a temper tantrum in the OR because the last case ran very late)

8
Q

“Idealization”

A

An immature ego defense where a person expresses extremely positive thoughts of self and others while ignoring negative thoughts
- this usually results in a person only acknowledging the positives and being blinded to any flaws the idealized person may have

(I.e: a fan of a movie star rants and raves about how amazing the movie star is without acknowledging any of their obvious flaws)

9
Q

“Identification”

A

An immature ego defense where a person assumes the characteristics, qualities or traits of another person or group unconsciously.

(I.e: a resident starts putting his stethoscope in his pocket because his favorite attending does this)

10
Q

“Intellectualization”

A

An immature ego defense where a person uses facts and logic to emotionally distance themselves from a stressful situation

(I.e: a person recently diagnosed with heart failure becomes obsessed with discussing and researching the pathophysiology behind the disorder)

11
Q

“Isolation of affect”

A

An immature ego defense where a person separates their feelings from ideas and events

(I.e: a person describes a murder in graphic detail with no conscious and unconscious emotional responses)

12
Q

“Passive aggression”

A

An immature ego defense where a person demonstrates hostile feelings in a non confrontational manner, while showing indirect opposition

(I.e: a girl who was recently dumped gives brief one worded answers to her ex when they try to converse with them, but wont admit they are acting any differently or treating them poorly)

13
Q

“Projection”

A

An immature ego defense where a person attributes an unacceptable internal impulse to an external source.
- this is a social unacceptable impulse that is projected still as an unacceptable impulse just onto another person

(I.e: a man who wishes to commit adultery accuses his wife of being unfaithful)

14
Q

“Rationalization”

A

An immature ego defense where a person asserts plausible explanations for events that actually occurred for other reasons
- this is usually in response to avoiding self-blame

(I.e: a person who was recently fired claims that the job was not important anyway)

15
Q

“Reaction formation”

A

An immature ego defense where a person replaces a unacceptable/immoral idea or feeling with an almost exact opposite course of action

  • emphasis on its opposite
  • this opposite sublimation where the unacceptable idea/feeling is replaced with a similar but more socially acceptable course of action

(I.e: a stepmother who resents their stepchild goes overboard with nurturing and protection)

16
Q

“Regression”

A

An immature ego defense where a person involuntary turns back the “maturational clock” to behaviors previously demonstrated at an earlier age.

  • this is done usually in times of stress
  • this is opposite fixation where the action is voluntary

(I.e: a previously potty-trained child begins to wet the bed following the birth of another sibling)

17
Q

“Repression”

A

An immature ego defense where a person involuntarily withholds an idea or feeling from conscious awareness usually in regards to a stressful event in their life
- to get away from feelings of guilt form the superego

this is opposite suppression where a person voluntary does this

(I.e: a person does not remember going to counseling in response to their parents divorce 10 years ago)

18
Q

“Splitting”

A

An immature ego defense where a person believes all other people/sub groups of people are either completely good with no bad or completely bad with no good
- this is very common in borderline personality disorder*

(I.e: a patient says that all nurses are cold and insensitive but believes all doctors are warm and friendly at the hospital they are staying at)

19
Q

“Sublimation”

A

A mature ego defense where a person replaces an unacceptable wish/impulse with a course of action that is similar, but socially acceptable

  • this is opposite reaction formation where the unacceptable wish is replaced with a polar opposite action (can or cannot be social acceptable)
  • this is also not displacement or projection because the action being done is socially acceptable and considered productive.

(I.e: a teenagers towards his parents because of their high expectations of him is channeled into excelling in sports)

20
Q

“Altruism”

A

A mature ego defense where a person attempts to alleviate all negative feelings via unsolicited generosity towards others

  • tries to mask the negative feelings with gratification
  • is not reaction formation because they are seeking gratification

(I.e: a mafia boss makes a large donation to a charity to mask negative feelings about his business)

21
Q

“Suppression”

A

A mature ego defense where a person intentionally withholds an idea or feeling from conscious awareness
- this is opposite regression because it is voluntary and usually self-limiting (where as in regression it can last a life time)

(I.e: an athlete intentionally prevents worries about the stage finals by engaging in other tasks)

22
Q

“Humor”

A

A mature ego defense where a person makes lighthearted remarks about an uncomfortable feeling/situation in order to shift internal focus away from the distress

(I.e: a nervous medical student makes jokes about their upcoming board exam)

23
Q

What are the MATURE ego defenses?

A

Sublimation

Altruism

Suppression

Humor

“Mature adults wear a SASH”

24
Q

What are ego defenses

A

Thoughts and behaviors that can be conscious or unconscious that is used to resolve conflict and prevent undesirable feelings
- most common is anxiety

  • Only are pathological if they interfere with an individuals ability to function in the real world
  • works/school/relationships/family/overall enjoyment out of life
25
Q

What is the Freudian theory surrounding ego defenses

A

Sigmund = Are ways to distort the id impulses into socially acceptable forms.

Anna Freud = motor automatism that arose in the process of involuntary/voluntary learning from society

26
Q

Stockholm syndrome

A

A type of “identification” with the aggressor ego defense where the victims of kidnapping begin to idolize and trust their captor.