Defense Mechanisms Flashcards
help the ego cope with anxiety, frustration, and unacceptable impulses
defense mechanisms
help relieve tension between inner psychological
reality and the demands of the external world
defense mechanisms
primitives defense mechanisms -more out of touch with reality
denial, reaction formation, and projection
mature defense mechanisms- represent higher levels of functioning
sublimation, undoing, rationalization, displacement, identification, and intellectualization
Each person has a BLANK making up their personality
unique set of defense mechanisms
a defense process by which plausible reasons justify an action or
opinion
rationalization
a defense mechanism that helps the person cope with disappointments by blaming external
circumstances
rationalization
which defense mechanism is…..after not getting a job he applied for, he thinks,
“I’ll be better off at a different company”
rationalization
which defense mechanism is….after getting turned down for a date, says, “I’m
better off without them. That person is really snobby anyway.”
rationalization
which defense mechanism is….. an abused spouse hitting their children as ‘punishment’ after being hit by
their spouse
rationalization
a defense mechanism that refuses to let unacceptable impulses into conscious awareness
repression
which DM is…..feeling sexually attracted toward members of the same
sex, but pushing away this intolerable thought from consciousness only to later dream
about such sexual impulses.
repression
which DM is…..after years of celibacy, the person begins to eat copious amounts of food; they are not even letting their unacceptable impulses (in this
case, sexual feelings) come into existence and they do so by using food to avoid these
feelings/desires.
repression
which DM is….. a young boy has a phobia of dogs but cannot remember the
event that occurred that caused him to first be afraid of them
repression
a defense mechanism that distorts/refuses to accept reality (acting like whatever happened never
happened)
denial
one is like FORGETTING something bad happened
and
the other is ACTING like something didn’t happen
repression vs denial
forgetting their child died in a car accident
repression
acting like their child survived the car accident; not accepting they died- they didn’t repress the event
denial
a defense mechanism that uncommon in very young children because they are unable to distinguish
between fantasy and reality
denial
a defense mechanism where a person continues to eat unhealthy foods despite his doctor’s
orders to eat healthier
denial
a defense mechanism where an alcoholic attends a recovery program but continues to drink
alcohol
denial
a defense mechanism that places unacceptable feelings from the person feeling them onto another
person
projection
a defense mechanism that is a two-way street: there’s Person A, who has the feeling about Person B,
and instead of expressing that feeling, they accuse Person B of having that feeling
instead
projection
which DM is…..they are angry at their spouse, but instead of expressing
that anger, they accuse their spouse of being angry at them
projection
which DM is….an anxious colleague complaining about a coworker’s anxieties
projection
which DM is…. he complains that no one likes him, but in reality he
does not like himself or others
projection
which DM is….. they gained weight, but instead of acknowledging this, they tell their friend it
looks like they (the friend) has gained weight
projection
a defense mechanism in which affect is transferred from one object to another
displacement
unlike projection this DM has 3 parties/situations involved: so there’s
person A, who has the feeling about Person/Situation B, but doesn’t feel they can
express it directly, so instead they take it out on Person C.
displacement
which DM is…..upset at his spouse, but instead of expressing it
to the spouse, he takes it out on his kids and yells at them
displacement
which DM is….compulsively eating lollipops after they quit smoking
displacement
which DM is….she begins to compulsively wash her hands after being shamed for masturbating
displacement
a defense mechanism that takes projection a step further, with the person who has been
projected onto believing the projection
projective identification
which DM is…..a person has gained weight, but instead
of acknowledging this, they tell their friend it looks like they-the friend-has gained weight THEN the friend begins believing they’ve gained
weight, despite not having gained weight. They may go on to behave in way that aligns
with the projection either because of their own insecurities or because the person projecting has controlled the situation in such a way to make them believe it….the person may begin eating more and actually gaining weight
projective identification
which DM is….a supervisor who is insecure about their supervisory skills because
they don’t feel they are doing an adequate job as a supervisor, accuses their supervisees of doing inadequate work. The supervisees begin to feel insecure in their
own work, and may even go on to do less adequate work than before
projective identification
a defense mechanism where content is separated from repressed affect
intellectualization
a defense mechanism where someone speaks of his traumatic childhood as if reading a scripted story.
intellectualization
a defense mechanism where a victim of sexual assault researches factual PTSD criteria instead of addressing her emotional pain in therapy
intellectualization
a defense mechanism characterized by rigor and self-denial
asceticism
which DM is…. she refuses to eat or sleep until a major work project is complete
EX: ellie
asceticism
which DM is….coping with sexual tension and desire by refusing to engage in all pleasurable activities
Ex: nun or priest
asceticism
which DM is……displacing unacceptable instincts for constructive and
socially acceptable behaviors
sublimation
which DM is…..someone w major depression may use professional dance to help avoid/cope w suicidal
thoughts
sublimation
which DM is….. someone w aggressive impulses becomes a kickboxing instructor
sublimation
the internalization of outside events or characteristics of other people
introjection
which DM is….a victim trying to identify with the aggressor’s behaviors to help protect themself
introjection
uses BLANK when putting on their seat belt before driving away in their car because they have BLANK the voice of previous authority figures who have told them to buckle their seatbelt while in the car
introjection, internalization
a person may BLANK the concept that “boys don’t cry” – this is an idea that a person
might take in from their environment. They aren’t necessarily identifying with the person who said/thought it, but they take it in and it becomes part of how they see the world.
Over time, this might lead to BLANK with the individual who
said/thought it.
internalize; identification
a defense mechanism where qualities of an external object are absorbed into one’s personality
identification
very similar and on a continuum - BLANK can lead to BLANK over
time
introjection/ internalization and identification
introjection/internalization; identification
which DM is…..a Bruce Lee fan becoming a disciplined martial art champion
identification
which DM is…..a young person deciding to follow in their father’s footsteps
and becomes a lawyer
identification
a defense mechanism where unacceptable impulses are expressed as their
opposites
ex: small dick so act like a dick
reaction formation
a defense mechanism that helps release anxiety and guilt associated with the true impulse
reaction formation
which DM is……a supervisee is overly nice to their supervisor even though they despise them
reaction formation
which DM is….a parent with an unwanted child is being very
overprotective of that child or being overly loving
reaction formation
which DM is….a man who is gay openly dates women and criticizes gay men
reaction formation
a defense mechanism where we avoid being punished for undesirable thoughts or
actions. We BLANK a threatening thought, feeling, or behavior by engaging in a contrary behavior. Unlike reaction formation where they are trying to hide their true feelings, with BLANK they are actually trying to BLANK a thought, feeling, or behavior they have already had (like a person being overly nice to a person she had just insulted in her mind)
undoing
which DM is….a spouse buys his partner lavish gifts after many adulterous acts
undoing
which DM is….a person is overly nice to a person she just insulted in her mind
undoing
bc of weakness focus on strength to make up
ex: small dick so focuses on eating out
compensation
