Freudian Defence Mechanisms

Question 1

Defense mechanisms

Answer 1

They are Psychological strategies that are unconsciously used to protect oneself from anxiety that is caused by unacceptable thoughts Or feelings.
It involves distortion of reality to cope with a situation.

Question 2

Denial (anna freud)

Answer 2

It involves not being able to accept reality, and blocking events from awareness by refusing to perceive it.
It is a primitive and dangerous defence.
Denial is supported by other subtle mechanisms.

Question 3

Examples of denial

Answer 3

Refusing to perceive signs of infidelity of a spouse.

Student not acknowledging lack of preparedness for an exam.

Question 4

Repression

Answer 4

Just like denial, which blocks external events, repression is used by the ego to block internal feeling and thoughts that are disturbing, threatening or socially unacceptable.

• motivated forgetting.
• freudian slips.

Question 5

Motivated forgetting

Answer 5

Another term for repression according to anna freud
Not being able to recall traumatic or threatening situations, people or events. These thoughts are repressed to the point of experiencing guilt from the super ego.

Question 6

Freudian slips

Answer 6

Repressed memories or thoughts may appear subconsciously through dreams, or slip of tongues. It happens while intending to say or express one thing but winding up saying something entirely different in its place.

Question 7

Examples of repression

Answer 7

An adult suffers a nasty spider bite as a child and develops an intense phobia of spiders later in life without any recollection of the experience as a child.

Question 8

Projection (anna freud)

Answer 8

The person associate or attributes unwanted feelings, thoughts and desires onto another person. Through this defence, although you still have them, you make sure they aren’t consciously yours.
-Displacement outward

Question 9

Displacement outward

Answer 9

It is the complete opposite of turning against oneself because it involves perceiving one’s own unacceptable feelings or motives in other people instead in your self.

Question 10

Example of projection

Answer 10

When you hate someone and your superego is in conflict, you deal with it by believing the person hates you.

Question 11

Displacement

Answer 11

Displacement is a destructive defense mechanism because it involves redirection of aggression onto a powerless substitute target.
The person picks up a substitute target because their id wants something that their superego would allow. Hence, its the release of psychic energy.
-turning against the self

Question 12

Turning against the self

Answer 12

Its a form of displacement where the person becomes their own substitute target. Feelings of anger amd frustration are internalised and result in low self esteem, guilt and depression.
It is the idea that depression is caused by anger that we refuse to accept.

Question 13

Example of displacement

Answer 13

A person being harassed by their superior might abuse a family member at home.

Question 14

Regression

Answer 14

Anna freud
The ego reverts to an earlier stage of development to cope with stressful situations.
The person feels the need to retreat, and go back to a time when they felt safe.

Question 15

Example of regression

Answer 15

Our behaviour or reactions may become childish or primitive while experiencing a frightening situation.

Question 16

Sublimation

Answer 16

Sublimation is the constructive alternative to displacement. Its when a person process unacceptable or painful emotions into productive or socially acceptable behaviours.
Freud believes arts and sciences are all sublimated sexuality. To him, sublimation is the cornerstone of civilization.

Question 17

Examples of sublimation

Answer 17

Art, music and sports enable a person to displace aggression or disturbing feelings into constructive behaviour.

Question 18

Rationalization

Answer 18

Anna freud
A person might distort facts to justify, or come up with excuses to make certain feelings or events less disturbing by attempting logical reasoning.
It is commonly used on a conscious level on a daily basis by most people.

Question 19

Example of rationalization

Answer 19

When a person cannot accept a painful experience, they might chalk it up to it all being “gods will”.

Question 20

Reaction formation

Answer 20

It is essentially believing the opposite.
The person starts to behave in the opposite way to which they truly feel and think. It is beyond denial.
They compensate for the anxiety their socially unacceptable feelings cause them by exaggerated behaviour.
Using this mechanism the id is satisfied and the ego if unaware or true intentions.
The person might get angry when someone disagrees with what they strongly believe.

Question 21

Example of reaction formation

Answer 21

According to freud, people who are prejudiced against homosexuals are homosexuals themselves, and that they use this attitude to convince themselves that they are heterosexual.

Question 22

Introjection

Answer 22

Its also called identification.
The person adopts personality characteristics of another person to deal with emotional issues.
According to freudian theory this is how we form our superegos.

Question 23

Examples of Introjection

Answer 23

A neglected child might try to emulate the role of a parent to lessen her feelings of abandonment.
Teenagers often imitate their favourite stars to form their identity.

Question 24

Identification with the aggressor

Answer 24

Proposed my sandor ferenczi and developed by anna freud.
A victim might adopt the behaviour of their aggressor who is more powerful than them.
They might internalise the aggressor’s behaviour hoping to avoid abuse which might lead to the aggressor feeling emotional connection with their victim.

Question 25

Examples of identification with aggressor.

Answer 25

When you are afraid of someone you can partially conquer that fear by becoming more like them
-stockholm syndrome (hostage and captor bonding )