Defense Mechanisms Flashcards
What is a defense mechanism?
A tactic used by the Ego to protect the conscious mind from feelings or thoughts that it finds too difficult to deal with
Fantasy
Daydream to escape reality
Example of fantasy
Imagining you’re in a relationship with your crush, when the reality is that you never talk to them
Repression
Occurs when we remove unpleasant events from our conscious mind to our unconscious mind, but it still influences our behavior
Example of repression
Person who suffers abuse as a child has issues forming relationships
Denial
Outright refusal to admit or recognize that something has occurred or is currently occurring in our conscious mind.
Example of denial
Victims of traumatic events may deny that the event ever occurred
Rationalization
What we use to explain an unacceptable behavior/ event or feeling in a rational or logical manner to avoid real reasons
Example of rationalization
Student blames failing a test on the teacher rather than lack of preparation
Regression
Reverting to an immature, earlier stage of behavior
Example of regression
Those fixated at the oral stage may begin overeating or smoking
Displacement
Taking out frustrations, feelings and impulses on people or objects that are less threatening
Displacement example
After frustrating and unfair criticism from her professor, jan starts an argument with with her roommate during lunch
Sublimation
Allows us to act out unacceptable impulses by converting them into a more acceptable form
Sublimation example
People with aggression issues play contact sports
