Personality Disorders and Defense Mechanisms Flashcards
Refusal to accept reality or fact.
Mature or Immature?
Denial (Immature)
A return to an earlier period of development
Regression
Expressing an unconscious wish through an action to avoid becoming consciously aware of it. (e.g. punching wall)
Acting out
Temporary but drastic modification of a person’s character or sense of identity to avoid distress (ex. amnesia with trauma)
Dissociation
Lesser form of dissociation when parts of oneself are separated from awareness of other parts and behaving as if one had separate sets of values
Compartmentalization
Attributing your thoughts or feelings to someone else.
Projection
Converting unwanted or dangerous thoughts, feelings, or impulses into their opposites
Reaction formation
Division or polarization into only good or only bad. What PD is it associated with?
Splitting, Borderline personality disorder
Idealized aspects of the self are preserved, limitations denied
Narcissism
Internalizing qualities of another person
Introjection
Excessive daydreaming as a substitute for human relationships or more effective action
Schizoid fantasy
Experience and express psychological distress in the form of physical symptoms
Somatization/hypochondriasis
Unconscious blocking of unacceptable thoughts, feelings and impulses
Repression
Redirecting thoughts and feelings directed at one person or object, but taken out on another person or object
Displacement
Overemphasis on thinking when confronted with an unacceptable impulse, situation or behavior without employing any emotions. What personality trait?
Intellectualization, obsessive compulsive
Offer justification to explain thoughts, ideas or feelings that may otherwise be unacceptable
Rationalization
Conscious postponing attention to a conscious impulse or conflict
Suppression
Altering a socially objectionable aim or object to a socially acceptable one but achieving impulse gratification (Dexter)
Sublimation
Using constructive and instinctually gratifying service to others to undergo a vicarious experience
Altruism
Using comedy to deal with/ express feelings to avoid discomfort
Humor
Psychologically counterbalancing perceived weaknesses by emphasizing strength in other areas
Compensation
Egosyntonic definition
Acceptable to the person
Distrust and suspiciousness are central. What cluster?
Paranoid PD, Cluster A
Detachment from social relationships, restricted emotional expressions in interpersonal settings (does not desire relationships) Indifferent to praise or criticism
Schizoid PD, Cluster A
