Unit 3 Defense Mechanisms Chapter 15 Flashcards
What is Altruism
Altruism is a largely unconscious motivation to feel caring and concern for others and act for the well-being of others.
Altruism Examples
Adaptive
A woman anonymously donates to her colleague’s GoFundMe campaign.
Maladaptive
A neighbor compulsively rescues cats and kittens to the detriment of the animals’ and his own health and safety.
What is Compensation
Compensation is used to counterbalance perceived deficiencies by emphasizing strengths.
Compensation Examples
Adaptive
A teenage boy focuses on his football skills more than his math assignments
Maladaptive
A woman drinks alcohol when her self-esteem is low to temporarily ease her discomfort.
What is Conversion
is the unconscious transformation of anxiety into a physical symptom with no organic cause.
Conversion Examples
Adaptive
No example. Almost always a pathological defense.
Maladaptive
A man becomes blind after seeing his wife enter a hotel room with another man.
What is Denial
Denial involves escaping unpleasant, anxiety-causing thoughts, feelings, wishes, or needs by ignoring their existence or reality.
Denial Examples
Adaptive
A man reacts to the death of a loved one by saying, “No, I don’t believe you,” to initially protect himself from the overwhelming news.
Maladaptive
A woman whose husband died 3 years earlier still keeps his clothes in the closet and talks about him in the present tense.
What is Displacement
Displacement is the transference of emotions associ- ated with a particular person, object, or situation to another nonthreatening person, object, or situation
Displacement Examples
Adaptive
A child yells at his teddy bear after being picked on by the school bully.
Maladaptive
A child who is unable to acknowledge fear of his father becomes fearful of animals.
What is Dissassociation
Dissociation is a disruption in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment that results in compartmentalizing uncomfortable or unpleasant aspects of oneself.
Dissassociation Examples
Adaptive
An art student is able to mentally separate herself from a noisy environment as she becomes absorbed in her work.
Maladaptive
As the result of an abusive childhood and the need to separate from its realities, a woman finds herself perpetually disconnected from reality.
What is Identification
Identification is attributing to oneself the characteristics of another person or group. This may be done consciously or unconsciously.
Identification Examples
Adaptive
An 8-year-old girl dresses up like her teacher and puts together a pretend classroom for her friends.
Maladaptive
A boy dresses and talks like a neighborhood drug dealer and starts his own “gang.”
What is Intellectualization
Intellectualization is a process in which events are analyzed based on remote, cold facts and without passion, rather than incorporating feeling and emotion into the processing.
Intellectualization Example
Adaptive
Despite having lost his farm to a tornado, a man analyzes his options and leads his child to safety.
Maladaptive
A man responds to the death of his wife by focusing on the details of day care and operating the household rather than processing the grief with his children.
What is Projection
Projection refers to the unconscious rejection of emotionally unacceptable features and attributing them to others.
Projection Examples
Adaptative
No example. This is considered an immature defense mechanism.
Maladaptive
A woman who has repressed an attraction toward other women refuses to socialize. She fears that another woman will come on to her.
What is Rationalization
Rationalization consists of justifying illogical or unrea- sonable ideas, actions, or feelings by developing acceptable explanations that satisfy the teller and the listener.
Rationalization Examples
Adaptive
An employee says, “I didn’t get the raise because the boss doesn’t like me.”
Maladaptive
An employee says, “I didn’t get the raise because the boss doesn’t like me.”
What is Reaction formation
Reaction formation is when unacceptable feelings or behaviors are controlled and kept out of awareness by developing the opposite emotion or behavior.
Reaction formation Examples
Adaptive
A recovering alcoholic constantly talks about the evils of drinking.
Maladaptive
A woman who has an unconscious hostility toward her daughter is overprotective and hovers over her to protect her from harm, interfering with her normal growth and development.
What is Regression
Regression is reverting to an earlier, more primitive and childlike pattern of behavior that may or may not have been exhibited previously.
Regression Examples
Adaptive
A 4-year-old boy with a new baby brother temporarily starts sucking his thumb and asking for a baby bottle.
Maladaptive
A man who loses a promotion starts complaining to others, hands in sloppy work, misses appoint- ments, and comes in late for meetings.
What is Repression
Repression is an unconscious exclusion of unpleasant or unwanted experiences, emotions, or ideas from conscious awareness.
Repression Examples
Adaptive
After a marital fight, a man forgets his spouse’s birthday.
Maladaptive
A woman is unable to enjoy sex after having pushed out of awareness a traumatic sexual incident from childhood.
What is Splitting
Splitting is the inability to integrate the positive and negative qualities of oneself or others into a cohesive image.
Splitting Examples
Adaptive
No example. Almost always a pathological defense.
Maladaptive
A 26-year-old woman initially values her acquain- tances yet invariably becomes disillusioned when they turn out to have flaws.
THERE IS NO INBETWEEN WITH SPLITTING , YOU EITHER GOOD OR BAD NOTHING IN BETWEEN
What is Sublimation
Sublimation is an unconscious process of transforming negative impulses into less damaging and even productive impulses
Sublimation Examples
Adaptive
A woman who is angry with her boss channels her feelings into housework until her house is sparkling clean.
Maladaptive
No example. The use of sublimation is always constructive.
What is Suppression
Suppression is the conscious decision to delay addressing a disturbing situation or feeling. For example, Jessica has studied for the state board examination for a week. She says, “I won’t worry about paying my rent until after my exam tomorrow.”
Suppression Examples
Adaptive
A businessman who is preparing to make an important speech is told by his wife that morning that she wants a divorce. Although visibly upset, he puts the incident aside until after his speech, when he can give the matter his total attention.
Maladaptive
A woman who feels a lump in her breast shortly before leaving for a 3-week vacation puts the information in the back of her mind until after she returns from her vacation.
What is Undoing
Undoing is when a person makes up for a regrettable act or communication.
Undoing Examples
Adaptive
After flirting with her male secretary, a woman brings her husband tickets to a concert he wants to see.
Maladaptive
A man with rigid, moralistic beliefs and repressed sexuality is driven to wash his hands to gain com- posure when he is around attractive women.
