Defense Mechanisms Flashcards
Primitive Defenses - Examples
Denial, reaction formation, projection (more out of touch with reality)
Mature Defenses - Examples
Represent higher levels of functioning - sublimation, undoing, rationalization, displacement, identification, intellectualization
Rationalization
Plausible reasons justify and action or an opinion - ex: Gets turned down for a date and says the person is really snobby; not getting a job: I’ll be better off with another company
Repression
Refuses to let into awareness unacceptable impulses but remains unconsciously operative in behavior
Displacement
Affect is transferred from one object to another - e.g., eating lollipops compulsively after having quit smoking; yells at wife instead of yelling at boss who is angry at
Identification
Qualities of an external object are absorbed into one’s personality (e.g., becoming a lawyer because dad is a lawyer)
Intellectualization
Process by which content is separated from repressed affect
Asceticism
Characterized by rigor and self-denial
Reaction Formation
A process by which unacceptable impulses are expressed as their opposites (e.g., being overly nice to supervisor that you are angry with; acting aloof around someone romantically interested in)
Introjection and Internalization
Introjection is the internalization of outside events or characteristics of other people (e.g., victim using to identify with aggressor’s behaviors to help protect himself); The taking in or swallowing whole of a characteristic or trait of another person or outside events
Projection
Places unacceptable feelings from the person feeling them onto another person (e.g., someone who is anxious complaining about another’s anxiety)
Denial
Distorts reality and doesn’t acknowledge emotion
Sublimation
A person using sublimation will displace unacceptable instincts for constructive and socially acceptable behaviors (e.g., kickboxing to deal with aggression)
Undoing
Process by which we avoid being punished for undesirable thoughts or actions (e.g., spouse unconsciously undoes adulterous acts by buying partner lavish gifts; overly nice to someone insulated in mind)