Lectures 12-14: Defense Mechanisms

Question 1

Psychiatric assessment includes 3 parts:

Psychiatric Hx

Mental Status Exam, which is comprised of 12 parts that form 6 diads.

1. Appearance and _____
2. Motor and _____
3. Mood and _____
4. Thought Process and Thought ______
5. Perception and ______
6. Insight and ______

Psychological Testing (e.g. IQ test)

Answer 1

1. Appearance and Attitude
2. Motor and Speech
3. Mood and Affect
4. Thought Process and Thought Content
5. Perception and Cognition
6. Insight and Judgement

Question 2

Freud theorized there were 3 Topographical components of the mind.

1. ______ (very small)
2. ______ (small)
3. ______ (enormous)

Answer 2

1. Conscious (very small)
2. Preconscious (small)
3. Unconscious (enormous)

Question 3

The Superego is said to be developed by age _____, the Ego develops right after birth, and the Id is said to already be present at birth.

Answer 3

Superego –> age 6

Question 4

Defense mechs can be grouped into 4 categories:

1. ______ –> “normal” and not harmful
2. ______ –> probably closer to what most people actually experience to some degree
3. ______ –> worse that the above two
4. ______ –> worst.

Answer 4

1. Mature
2. Neurotic
3. Primitive
4. Psychotic

Question 5

There are 4 Mature Defense Mechs.

1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
4. ______

Answer 5

1. Altruism
2. Humor
3. Sublimation (expressing an unacceptable feeling in a socially useful way - person who likes death does autopsies instead of murder)
4. Suppression (differs from Repression in that Suppression is Deliberate).

Question 6

______ is a Neurotic defense mech in which the person “moves” emotions from an unacceptable situation to one that is tolerable, though not entirely appropriate.

Answer 6

Displacement

Question 7

Identification is a Neurotic defense mech. How does it work?

Answer 7

Essentially through unconscious mimicry.

Question 8

_________ is a Neurotic defense mech that works by avoiding painful feelings by focusing on ideas or details.

Answer 8

Intellectualization

Question 9

_____ _____ is a Neurotic defense mech that follows the adage “kill them with kindness.” (i.e. you’re overly nice to cover for your extreme dislike of someone). _______ is the opposite, in that you act negatively toward someone you feel very positive about.

Answer 9

Reaction Formation

Undoing

Question 10

______ ______ has two parts. Firstly, you project your feelings onto another, and secondly, you are successful in making the other person identify with the projection (essentially you make them believe it was their fault).

Answer 10

Projection Identification

Question 11

_______ erroneously attributes negative outcomes to positive causes to overcome negative feelings. “I’m better off I didn’t get the job, because it was a dead-end job anyway.”

Answer 11

Rationalization

Question 12

_______ is a Primitive defense mech in which the person cannot handle ambiguity, so everything is either very positive or very negative.

Answer 12

Splitting

Question 13

________ reactions describe when a person UNCONSCIOUSLY acts and feels toward someone in a way they had with someone from their past.

Answer 13

Transference reactions

Question 14

Positive Transference can range from Positive to Erotic to Eroticized. What is the difference?

Answer 14

Positive –> patient has confidence in doc

Erotic –> positive + sexual fantasies that the patient recognizes are unrealistic

Eroticized –> Intense, vivid, irrational erotic preoccupation with doc. Patient can’t help themselves.