Defense Mechanisms

Defense Mechanisms the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by

unconsciously distorting reality Repression

the basic defense mechanism that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness

This is why we do not remember our sexual feelings for our parent.

It does come out in dream symbols or slips of the tongue.

Defense Mechanisms

Regression defense mechanism in which an individual faced with

anxiety retreats to a more infantile psychosexual stage, where some psychic energy remains fixated

A new kindergartner may be nervous and start to suck her thumb.

College students may wish for the comforts of home.

Defense Mechanisms

Reaction Formation defense mechanism by which the ego

unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites

people may express feelings that are the opposite of their anxiety-arousing unconscious feelings

In situations where you are timid, you may act daring

Defense Mechanisms

Projection defense mechanism by which people disguise their own

threatening impulses by attributing them to others “He doesn’t trust me” means “I don’t trust him”

Rationalization defense mechanism that offers self-justifying explanations

in place of the real, more threatening, unconscious reasons for one’s actions.

People who choose to be drink may say they do it “just to be social”

Defense Mechanisms

Displacement defense mechanism that shifts sexual or

aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person

as when redirecting anger toward a safer outlet When a kid is angry at a parent, he may kick

the family pet

• Sublimation- transformation of unacceptable impulses to socially valued motivations.

• example- da Vinci’s paintings of Madonna are a sublimation of his longing for an intimate relationship with his mother who left him at an early age.