The Psychodynamic Approach - Ego Defence Mechanisms

Question 1

What are ego defence mechanisms?

Answer 1

• consciously used by the ego as a way of satisfying the unconscious demands of the id and superego
• ways that the ego can protect itself from traumatic events, thoughts or impulses
• they help in short term, but in long term can lead to disturbed behaviour and psychological problems (various mental illnesses)

Question 2

What is repression?

Answer 2

• traumatic events and unacceptable urges are locked away in the unconscious mind
• this is to protect the conscious ego from further distress

ie protecting the conscious mind from the trauma by locking it away in unconscious mind

Question 3

What is an example of repression?

Answer 3

• grief
• death of a loved one

Question 4

What is displacement?

Answer 4

• destructive urges are transferred from the true target to a safer, less threatening target

ie take anger out on someone smaller/weaker

Question 5

What is an example of displacement?

Answer 5

• abused by someone bigger but they are dangerous and can hurt you
• so they target someone smaller (bullying) because they can’t fight back to abuser

Question 6

What is denial?

Answer 6

• refusal to accept an aspect of reality because the truth is too traumatic

Question 7

What is an example of denial?

Answer 7

• sexuality
• hiding it from parents/family
• and deny it from yourself because of shame

Question 8

What is projection?

Answer 8

• transferring undesirable aspects of the self onto another person
• its easier for the ego to see these aspects on someone else rather than themselves

Question 9

What is an example of projection?

Answer 9

• calling someone 2 faced, when you are the one being nice to their face but talk bad about them

Question 10

What is sublimation?

Answer 10

• channelling socially unacceptable impulses, urges, drives etc. into socially acceptable outlets

Question 11

What is an example of sublimation?

Answer 11

• if highly aggressive you might join the gym, army, rugby etc.

Question 12

What is reaction formation?

Answer 12

• saying the opposite to your true unconscious feelings

Question 13

What is an example of reaction formation?

Answer 13

• saying “i hate you” when you really mean “i love you”

Question 14

What is regression?

Answer 14

• acting in a child-like way, usually during times of stress

ie the safest you’ve ever felt is in the womb, so you regress back to that by hiding under covers or curling up in a ball when feeling threatened by stress

Question 15

What is an example of regression?

Answer 15

• crying
• tantrum
• sucking thumb
• hiding under covers

Question 16

What does Freud argue about all phobias?

Answer 16

• they are a conscious manifestation of an unconscious issue
• that the true cause of the phobia is REPRESSED into the unconscious and that this fear is DISPLACED onto a safer, less threatening target

eg Freud said a young boy had an extreme phobia of horses but he was actually afraid of his father
- repressed fear of father onto the less threatening target of the horse