Quick Study: Defense Mechanisms

Question 1

Rationalization helps the person cope with disappointments by blaming ?

Answer 1

external circumstances

Question 2

Repression refuses to let unacceptable impulses into ?but remains ? in behavior.

Answer 2

awareness

unconsciously operative

Question 3

Displacement is a defense mechanism in which ? is transferred from one object to another.

Answer 3

affect

Question 4

Identification is a process by which ? of an external object are absorbed into one’s ?.

Answer 4

qualities

personality

Question 5

Intellectualization is a process by which content is separated from ?

Answer 5

repressed affect.

Question 6

Asceticism is characterized by ?2

Answer 6

rigor and self-denial

Question 7

Reaction Formation is a process by which ? are expressed as ?
Reaction Formation helps release ?2 associated with the true impulse.

Answer 7

unacceptable impulses are expressed as their opposites.

anxiety and guilt

Question 8

Introjection/internalization is the internalization of ? or ? of other people.

Answer 8

outside events

belief / personality

Question 9

Projection places ? from the person feeling them onto another person.

Answer 9

unacceptable feelings

Question 10

Denial distorts ? and does not acknowledge ?

Answer 10

reality

emotion

Question 11

Denial is uncommon in very young children because they are unable to distinguish between ? and ?

Answer 11

reality and fantasy

Question 12

Sublimation is to displace unacceptable instincts for ?? behaviors.

Answer 12

constructive and socially acceptable

Question 13

Undoing is a process by which we avoid being ? for undesirable thoughts or actions.

Answer 13

punished

Question 14

“I’ll be better off at a different company” (when getting a job applied)

Answer 14

Rationalization

Question 15

A person using ? might feel sexually attracted toward members of the same sex but pushes away this intolerable thought from consciousness only to later dream about such sexual impulses.

Answer 15

Repression

Question 16

A person is using ? when he compulsively eats lollipops after having quit smoking.

Answer 16

Displacement

Question 17

A Bruce Lee fan is using ? when he becomes disciplined martial art champion.

Answer 17

Identification

Question 18

A person uses ? when speaking of his traumatic childhood as if reading a scripted story.

Answer 18

Intellectualization

Question 19

An adult uses ? when she refused to eat or sleep until a major work project is complete.

Answer 19

Asceticism

Question 20

An angry supervisee uses ? when being overly nice to his supervisor.

Answer 20

Reaction Formation

Question 21

A victim may use ? to identify with the aggressor’s behaviors to help protect himself.

Answer 21

Introjection

Question 22

A highly anxious colleague is ? when complaining about another colleague’s anxieties.

Answer 22

Projection

Question 23

A person is using ? when he continues to eat unhealthy foods despite his doctor’s orders to eat healthier.

Answer 23

Denial

Question 24

A person with major depression may use professional dance to help with suicidal thoughts.

Answer 24

Sublimation

Question 25

A person after thinking about being violent with someone, he is then be overly nice or accommodating to them.

Answer 25

Undoing

Question 26

A person is using ? when, after getting turned down for a date, she says, “that person is really snobby.”

Answer 26

Rationalization

Question 27

A person is using ? when, after years of celibacy, the person begins to eat copious amounts of food.

Answer 27

Repression

Question 28

A person is using ? when she begins to compulsively wash her hands after being shamed for masturbating.

Answer 28

Displacement

Question 29

A young person is using ? when deciding to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a lawyer.

Answer 29

Identification

Question 30

A victim of sexual assault may use ? by researching factual PTSD criteria instead of addressing her emotional pain in therapy.

Answer 30

Intellectualization

Question 31

An adolescent uses ? to cope with sexual tension and desire by refusing to engage in all pleasurable activities.

Answer 31

Asceticism

Question 32

A parent with an unwanted child may demonstrate ? by being very overprotective.

Answer 32

Reaction Formation

Question 33

A person uses ? when putting on her seat belt before driving away in her car.

Answer 33

Introjection

Question 34

A person is using ? when he complains that no one likes him but in reality he does not like himself or others.

Answer 34

Projection

Question 35

An alcoholic is in ? when she attends a recovery program but continues to drink alcohol.

Answer 35

Denial

Question 36

A person with aggressive impulses may use ? by becoming a kickboxing instructor.

Answer 36

Sublimation

Question 37

A spouse unconsciously ? his many adulterous acts by buying his partner lavish gifts

Answer 37

undoes

Question 38

An abused spouse may use ? by hitting her children as “punishment” after being hit by her spouse.

Answer 38

Rationalization

Question 39

A young boy exhibits ? when he has a phobia of dogs but cannot remember the first time he was afraid of them.

Answer 39

Repression

Question 40

A man is using ? when he yells at his spouse because he is unable to express anger toward his boss.

Answer 40

Displacement

Question 41

A man who is gay uses ? when he openly dates women and criticizes gay men.

Answer 41

Reaction Formation

Question 42

Dad telling his son “boys don’t cry”- this is an idea that a person might take in from their environment and internalize into their way of thinking.

Answer 42

Introjection

Question 43

The redirection of an impulse (usually aggression) onto a powerless substitute target.

Answer 43

Displacement