Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Personality Disorders > Lecture 2 > Flashcards

Lecture 2 Flashcards

Defense Mechanisms

1
Q

MATURE/NATURE DEFENSE MECHANISMS

A

greater ability to adapt to reality; effectively distance threatening feelings without distorting the reality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

REPRESSION

A

Mature - An unpleasant or unacceptable feeling or thought that is pushed out from consciousness. Differs from suppression in that the thought or feeling is unconsciously eliminated and the content can no longer be obtained.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

SUBLIMATION

A

Mature - Expressing a personally unacceptable or unattainable feeling in a socially acceptable or useful way. Considered a more adaptive defense mechanism in that it can transform negative anxiety into positive energy (e.g. going to a boxing club, instead of having street fights).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

HUMOR

A

Mature - Expressing uncomfortable feelings (in the form of jokes, for example) without causing oneself discomfort.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

SUPPRESSION

A

Mature - Pushing the unpleasant or unacceptable feeling, thought, or desire deliberately out of consciousness. It is the only defense mechanism to have some sort of conscious effort, albeit partial. Suppression involves attempting not to think about a memory or feelings.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

ALTRUISM

A

Mature - Helping others to feel better about oneself, thereby avoiding negative personal feelings. Gratification is achieved from the support of others (e.g. CEO donating a lot of money, but working for bad firm).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

UNDOING

A

Mature - Behaving or acting in a way so as to reverse unacceptable behavior. “Correcting” a past mistake. May involve rituals to “un-do” a “sinful” thought or action (e.g. confession).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

REACTION FORMATION

A

Mature - A manifestation of a feeling and/or action that diametrically opposite to that of the underlying unacceptable impulse. Thus, there is a transformation of the feeling to its exact opposite (e.g. “was sich liebt das neckt sich”).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

IDEALIZATION

A

Mature - Creating an ideal impression of a person, place or object by emphasizing their positive qualities and neglecting the negative.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

INTELLECTUALIZATION

A

Mature - Using higher functions (excessively) instead of affect to deal with unpleasant facts or situations. Dealing with emotions is avoided, and the intellectual content may be too academic in nature, drained of affective content.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

DISPLACEMENT

A

Mature - The emotion remaining the same, the target of the emotional outlet is changed. This is different from acting out in that the primary emotion is not masked, only redirected (e.g. acting out at partner, because of frustration at work).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

IMMATURE DEFENSE MECHANISM

A

characterized by severe alteration of painful mental contents and/or radical distortion of external reality; unacceptable feelings are kept outside of consciousness; feelings and impulses are not recognized as being one’s own.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

PROJECTION

A

Immature - Attributing one’s own feelings, desires, or thoughts to someone else. This is associated with or may lead to paranoia.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

ACTING OUT

A

Immature - A strong display of emotions or behavior in order to hide the unacceptable underlying feelings or ideas. May be socially inappropriate. The actual emotion being masked (e.g. walking out of group therapy).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

DENIAL

A

Immature - Avoiding an obvious aspect of reality by pretending that it is false or that it does not exist thus blocking the external events from awareness.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

DISSOCIATION

A

Immature - To momentarily lose connection to the world around, feel separated from the outside world, as though one exists in another realm.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

REGRESSION

A

Immature - Reverting to a behavior that is more childlike (or otherwise younger in age). Seen in people (also without mental disability) who are sick or otherwise uncomfortable.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR

A

Immature - A passive (indirect) way of expressing aggression. Manifested as setting up an expectation and then not meeting it. However, this feeling often operates at a subconscious level.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

ISOLATION (OF AFFECT)

A

Immature - To separate ideas or feelings from the rest of your thoughts. In distinguishing an emotion or impulse from others in this way, a person attempts to protect the ego from anxieties caused by a specific situation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

SPLITTING

A

Immature - Splitting occurs when the ego attempts to reconcile multiple aspects or rationales, but resorts to understanding the world in “black and white” terms. A person who experiences splitting may take an “either-or” approach when making evaluations of the world around them, including objects, situations, and people.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

AUTISTIC FANTASY/ AUTISTIC WITHDRAWAL

A

Immature - An autistic retreat into an imaginary life to avoid facing unacceptable feelings or the unpleasant reality.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

SOMATIZATION

A

Immature - The somatization defense mechanism occurs when the internal conflicts between the drives of id, ego and super ego take on physical characteristics.

23
Q

What are defense mechanisms?

A

× Psychological strategies
× Unconsciously used
× To protect us or to help us cope with the anxiety related to unwanted/unaccepted thoughts and emotions
× Protect or sense of self

24
Q

How mature are defenses in NPO, BPO & PPO?

A

NPO: Mature
BPO: Immature
PPO: Immature

25
Q

Does identity integration work in NPO, BPO & PPO?

A

NPO: Yes
BPO: No
PPO: No

26
Q

Is reality testing intact in NPO, BPO & PPO?

A

NPO: Intact
BPO: Intact, when not under stress
PPO: No

27
Q

Does ego observation work in NPO, BPO & PPO?

A

NPO: Yes
BPO: Limited
PPO: No

28
Q

What is the primary conflict for NPO, BPO & PPO?

A

NPO: Oedipal
BPO: Separation-individuation (“are you on my team or not?”)
PPO: Existential (“who am I? Where am I going?”)

29
Q

How will NPO, BPO & PPO react to therapy?

A

NPO: Working alliance
BPO: All good/bad
PPO: Parental

30
Q

What Big 5 traits are associated with more mature defense mechanisms?

A

Extraversion, Openness & Agreeableness

31
Q

What Big 5 traits are associated with more immature defense mechanisms?

A

Higher Neuroticism & lower Conscientiousness

32
Q

Personality Inventory for DMS-5 Brief Form assesses five domains of personality for personality disorders. What are they called?

A
  1. Negative affectivity
  2. Detachment
  3. Antagonism
  4. Disinhibition
  5. Psychoticism
33
Q

Are there gender differences in the use of Defense Mechanisms?

A

Only partially;

  • > there were significant differences in the use of mature defenses
    1. males use defense of suppression significantly more than females
    2. females reported greater use of somatization
34
Q

Are there gender differences in maladaptive personality domains? (PID-5-BF)

A

Women: higher scores on negative affectivity
Men: higher scores on antagonism

35
Q

What is the relationship of Defense styles regarding maladaptive personality domains?

A

Immature defenses are positive predictors of maladaptive personality domains and mature defenses are negative predictors of maladaptive personality traits.

36
Q

What does the personality domain of negative affectivity entail?

A

emotional lability and hostility

37
Q

What does the personality domain of detachment entail?

A

intimacy avoidance and suspiciousness

38
Q

What does the personality domain of antagonism entail?

A

grandiosity and risk taking

39
Q

What does the personality domain of disinhibition entail?

A

impulsivity and risk taking

40
Q

What does the personality domain of psychoticism entail?

A

cognitive perceptual dysregulation, unusual beliefs and experiences

41
Q

What socioeconomic variables predict negative affectivity?

A

Female gender

Younger age

42
Q

What socioeconomic variables predict detachment?

43
Q

What socioeconomic variables predict antagonism?

A

Male gender

44
Q

What socioeconomic variables predict disinhibition?

A

Younger age & lower education

45
Q

What is the defense mechanism pattern for the personality domain: negative affectivity?

A
  1. Reaction formation
  2. Pseudo-altruism
  3. Isolation
  4. Displacement
  5. Projection
  6. Acting out
  7. Reduced use of humor
  8. Conscious suppression
46
Q

What personality disorders is the personality domain negative affectivity associated with?

A
  1. Avoidant PD
  2. Schizotypal PD
  3. Borderline PD
  4. Obsessive-compulsive PD
47
Q

What is the defense mechanism pattern for the personality domain: detachment ?

A
  1. Higher levels of autistic fantasy
  2. Isolation
  3. Reduced use of reaction formation
  4. Projection
48
Q

What personality disorders is the personality domain detachment associated with?

A
  1. Avoidant PD
  2. Obsessive-compulsive PD
  3. Schizotypal PD
49
Q

What is the defense mechanism pattern for the personality domain: antagonism ?

A
  1. Isolation & Dissociation -> pseudo-self-sufficiency
  2. Autistic fantasy
  3. Acting out
  4. Pseudo-altruism
  5. Idealization
  6. Reduced use of reaction formation
50
Q

What personality disorders is the personality domain antagonism associated with?

A
  1. Antisocial PD

2. Narcissistic PD

51
Q

What is the defense mechanism pattern for the personality domain: disinhibition?

A
  1. Acting out
  2. Dissociation
  3. Isolation
  4. Autistic fantasy
  5. Pseudo-altruism
  6. lower levels of devaluation
  7. Reduced use of anticipation
52
Q

What personality disorders is the personality domain disinhibition associated with?

A
  1. Antisocial PD

2. Borderline PD

53
Q

What is the defense mechanism pattern for the personality domain: psychoticism?

A
  1. Isolation

2. Autistic fantasy

54
Q

What personality disorders is the personality domain psychoticism associated with?

A
  1. Schizotypal PD

2. Borderline PD

Personality Disorders (4 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions