Transcript Defense Mechanisms

Freud’s Defense
Mechanisms
The Ego’s job is so difficult that unconsciously all
people resort to psychological defenses. Rather
than face intense frustration, conflict, or feelings
of unworthiness, people trick themselves into
believing nothing is wrong.
Defense Mechanisms
Defenders of the ego from experiencing anxiety
about failing in its tasks.
Repression
When a person has painful memories and
unacceptable thoughts and motives that causes
the ego too much anxiety, she may push that
thought or urge out of consciousness down into
the unconscious.
Projection
Another way the ego avoids anxiety is to believe
that impulses coming from within are really
coming from other people.
Reaction Formation
Involves replacing an unacceptable feeling or urge
with its opposite.
For example a divorced father may resent having
his child for the weekend. Unconsciously, he
feels it is terribly wrong for a father to react that
way. So he showers the child with expressions
of love and exciting trips.
Regression
Means going back to an earlier and less mature
pattern of behavior. When a person is under
severe pressure and his or her other defense
mechanisms are not working he may start acting
in a way that helped him in the past.
For example temper tantrums, crying, making
faces or reverting to eating and sleeping all the
time.
Sublimation
Unconscious shifting of an unacceptable drive.
Example: Lust for a sister into a culturally
acceptable behavior, lust for your friends sister.
Displacement
Occurs when the object of an unconscious wish
provokes anxiety. The anxiety is reduced when
the ego unconsciously shifts to another object.
For example if you wanted to hit your father but
you hit your little brother instead.