Defense mechanisms

Question 1

Burying a painful feeling or thought from your awareness though it may resurface in symbolic form. Sometimes considered a basis of other defense mechanisms.

Answer 1

Repression

Question 2

Not accepting reality because it is too painful.

Answer 2

Denial

Question 3

Reverting to an older, less mature way of handling stresses and feelings

Answer 3

Regression

Question 4

Attributing your own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone or something else

Answer 4

Projection

Question 5

Everything in the world is seen as all good or all bad with nothing in between.

Answer 5

Splitting

Question 6

Attempting to avoid a painful thought or feeling by objectifying and emotionally detaching oneself from the feeling

Answer 6

Isolation of affect

Question 7

Channeling a feeling or thought from its actual source to something or someone else.

Answer 7

Displacement

Question 8

Adopting beliefs, attitudes, and feelings contrary to what you really believe

Answer 8

Reaction formation

Question 9

Justifying one’s behaviors and motivations by substituting “good”, acceptable reasons for these real motivations

Answer 9

Rationalization

Question 10

Handling your own pain by helping others.

Answer 10

Altruism

Question 11

Focusing on funny aspects of a painful situation.

Answer 11

Humor

Question 12

Redirecting unacceptable, instinctual drives into personally and socially acceptable channels

Answer 12

Sublimation

Question 13

The effort to hide and control unacceptable thoughts or feelings

Answer 13

Suppression