Defense Mechanisms

Question 1

DEFENSE MECHANISMS

Answer 1

To manage internal conflicts

Question 2

Acting Out

Answer 2

dealt with through actions rather than talking about feelings

Question 3

Compensation

Answer 3

enables one to make up for real or fancied deficiencies such as a short person being cocky

Question 4

Conversion

Answer 4

cognitive tensions manifest themselves in physical symptoms such as seeing a crime then going blind

Question 5

Decompensation

Answer 5

deterioration of existing defenses.

Question 6

Denial

Answer 6

inability to acknowledge true significance of thoughts, feelings etc.

Question 7

Devaluation

Answer 7

frequently used by persons with borderline personality in which a person attributes exaggerated negative qualities to self or another. View events or people as all good or all bad.

Question 8

Dissociation

Answer 8

split mental functions that allows to express forbidden or unconscious impulses without taking responsibility for the action, either they dont remember or it is not experienced as his or her own ).

Question 9

Displacement

Answer 9

directing an impulse, wish, or feeling toward a person or situation (i.e., a man angry at his boss
kicks his dog).

Question 10

Idealization

Answer 10

overestimation of an admired aspect or attribute of another.

Question 11

Identification

Answer 11

a person patterns himself or herself after a significant other such as repeating phrases

Question 12

Identification With the Aggressor

Answer 12

mastering anxiety by identifying with a powerful aggressor such as being abused then becoming the abuser

Question 13

Incorporation

Answer 13

primitive mechanism in which psychic representation of a person (or parts of a person) is/are figuratively ingested

Question 14

Inhibition

Answer 14

loss of motivation to engage in (usually pleasurable) activity avoided because it
might stir up conflict over forbidden impulses

Question 15

Introjection

Answer 15

loved or hated external objects are symbolically absorbed within self (i.e., in severe depression, unconscious unacceptable hatred is turned toward self).

Question 16

Intellectualization

Answer 16

avoids uncomfortable emotions by focusing on facts and logic jargon is usually used.

Question 17

Isolation of Affect

Answer 17

unacceptable impulse, idea, or act is separated from its original memory source, thereby removing the original emotional charge associated with it.

Question 18

Projection

Answer 18

attributing one’s disowned attitudes, wishes, feelings, and urges to some external object or person. EX. hostile wife would say that her spouse has anger problem

Question 19

Projective Identification

Answer 19

utilized by persons with Borderline Personality Disorder—unconsciously perceiving others’ behavior as a reflection of one’s own identity such as “Looks like you gained weight” when the person who said it gained weight

Question 20

Rationalization

Answer 20

third line of defense; not unconscious. Giving believable explanation for
irrational behavior such as someone getting rejected then calling the person ugly

Question 21

Reaction Formation

Answer 21

person adopts affects, ideas, attitudes, or behaviors that are opposites of those he or she harbors consciously or unconsciously

Question 22

Regression

Answer 22

partial or symbolic return to more infantile patterns of reacting or thinking. Can be in service to ego (i.e., as dependency during illness).

Question 23

Repression

Answer 23

expressed clinically by amnesia or symptomatic forgetting

serving to banish unacceptable ideas, fantasies, affects, or impulses from consciousness.

Question 24

Splitting

Answer 24

associated with Borderline Personality Disorder in which a person perceives self and others as “all good” or “all bad.” A person cannot integrate the good and bad in people.

Question 25

Sublimation

Answer 25

potentially maladaptive feelings or behaviors are diverted into socially
acceptable, adaptive channels ex. person who is angry starts playing sports

Question 26

Substitution

Answer 26

unattainable or unacceptable goal, emotion, or object is replaced by one more
attainable or acceptable.

Question 27

Symbolization

Answer 27

a mental representation stands for some other thing, class of things etc. Someone wants to join the army they might say defending the flag.

Question 28

Turning Against Self

Answer 28

defense to deflect hostile aggression or other unacceptable impulses from another to self.

Question 29

Undoing

Answer 29

using words or actions to cover up thoughts and feelings such as washing hands OCD to get rid of thoughts