Ego Defense Mechanisms Flashcards
Splitting
inability to integrate the positive and negative qualities of oneself or others into a cohesive image
example: woman initially values her acquaintances, yet invariably becomes disillusioned when they turn out to have flaws
Undoing
exhibiting acceptable behavior to make up for or negate an unacceptable behavior
example: person who cheats brings their partner a bouquet of roses
Substitution
replacing the desired gratification for one that is more readily available
example: person who wants to become a professional athlete may substitute that goal by staying fit
Sublimation
substituting a socially acceptable activity for an impulse that is unacceptable
example: person who has quit smoking sucks on hard candy when the urge to smoke arises
Resistance
overt to covert antagonism toward remembering or processing anxiety-producing information
example: person in therapy who has experienced trauma may resist discussing the events or feelings at first
Suppression
conscious exclusion of unacceptable thoughts and feelings from conscious awareness
example: student decides not to think about a parent’s illness to study for a test
Repression
unconscious exclusion of emotionally painful or anxiety-provoking thoughts from unconscious awareness
example: person has no memory of car accident yesterday
Regression
moving back to a previous developmental stage to feel safe or have needs met
example: adult pouts like a 4 year-old if they are not the center of their partner’s attention
Reaction Formation
acting the opposite of what one thinks or feels
example: woman who never wanted children becomes a supermom
Rationalization
excusing own behavior to avoid guilt, responsibility, conflict, or loss of self-respect
example: employee says I didn’t get the raise because the boss hates me
Projection
unconscious blaming of unacceptable inclinations or thoughts on an external object
example: man who has thought about same-gender sexual relationship but never had one beats a man who is gay
Introjection
accepting another person’s attitudes, beliefs, and values as one’s own
example: a cold is told by her mother that he is an idiot and will not go to college despite passing the entrance exam
Identification
modeling actions and opinions of influential others while searching for identity
example: a nursing student becoming a critical care nurse because this is the specialty of an instructor they admire
Intellectualization
separation of emotions of a painful event from the facts
example: a person shows no emotional expression when discussing a serious car accident, focusing only on the details
Fixation
immobilization of a portion of personality resulting from unsuccessful completion of tasks in a developmental stage
example: lack of clear sense of identity as an adult
Dissociation
dealing with emotional conflict by a temporary alteration in consciousness or identity
example: an art student is able to mentally separate himself from a noisy environment
Displacement
ventilation of intense feelings toward persons less threatening than the one who aroused those feelings
example: person who is mad at his boss yells at his child
Denial
failure to admit reality of a situation or how one enables the problem to continue
example: spending money freely when broke
Conversion
expression of an emotional conflict through development of a physical symptom, usually sensorimotor in nature
example: a man becomes blind after seeing his wife enter a hotel room with another man
Compensation
overachievement in one area to compensate for real or perceived deficiencies in another area
example: a student who struggles with academics may excel in sports or artistic activities to gain recognition and boost self-esteem
