DEFENCE MECHANISM

In Freudian psychoanalytic theory, defence mechanisms

(or defense mechanisms) are unconscious
psychological strategies brought into play by various
entities to cope with reality and to maintain self-image
The purpose of ego defence mechanisms is to
protect the mind/self/ego from anxiety, social
sanctions or to provide a refuge from a situation
with which one cannot currently cope.

Denial: Refusal to accept external reality

because it is too threatening; arguing
against an anxiety-provoking stimulus by
stating it doesn't exist; resolution of
emotional conflict and reduction of anxiety
by refusing to perceive or consciously
acknowledge the more unpleasant aspects
of external reality.

Projection: Through projection one tries to see or attribute

ones own inferior impulses and traits in other persons or objects
An awkward person sees and criticizes awkwardness in others.
Similarly, a student who has been caught in the examination for
cheating may satisfy himself by saying that uplifts had also
cheated.

In this way one tries to overlook or defend ones shortcomings

and inadequacies by emphasizing that others are worse than he
is

Somatization: The transformation of

negative feelings towards others into

negative feelings toward self, pain,
illness, and anxiety.

Displacement: Defence mechanism that shifts

aggressive impulses to a more acceptable or less
threatening target; redirecting emotion to a safer
outlet; separation of emotion from its real object
and redirection of the intense emotion toward
someone or something that is less offensive or
threatening in order to avoid dealing directly with
what is frightening or threatening.
For example, a mother may yell at her child
because she is angry with her husband.

Dissociation: Temporary drastic

modification of one's personal identity
or character to avoid emotional
distress; separation or postponement
of a feeling that normally would
accompany a situation or thought.

Intellectualization: A form of isolation;

concentrating on the intellectual
components of a situation so as to distance
oneself from the associated anxietyprovoking emotions; separation of emotion
from ideas; thinking about wishes in formal,
affectively bland terms and not acting on
them; avoiding unacceptable emotions by
focusing on the intellectual aspects.

Isolation: Separation of feelings from

ideas and events, for example,
describing a murder with graphic
details with no emotional response.

Rationalisation (making excuses ) is a mechanism wherein the

individual gives false reasons, other than the actual one in order
to reduce his guilt feeling raised out of conflict.
This is a defense mechanism in which a one justifies his otherwise
unjustified behavior by giving socially acceptable reasons for it und
thus attempts to defend himself by inventing plausible excuses to
explain his conduct.
A student, after successfully completing his Senior Secondary School
education, eager to seek admission at the Indian Institute of
Technology, could not succeed in the test or interview. He conveniently
blames the authorities for their defective testing or interviewing
technique.
Similarly students who score less marks may blame teachers for their
poor achievement.

Reaction formation: Converting

unconscious wishes or impulses that are
perceived to be dangerous into their
opposites; behaviour that is completely the
opposite of what one really wants or feels;
taking the opposite belief because the true
belief causes anxiety. This defence can
work effectively for coping in the short
term, but will eventually break down.

Repression: Human tendency is to

retain the pleasurable experiences in
mind and push aside the undesirable
one's to the sub-conscious mind, or
one may force oneself to forget such
unpleasant experiences by repressing
it.

Regression: Temporary reversion of the ego

to an earlier stage of development rather than
handling unacceptable impulses in a more
adult way. Regression means going backward
or returning to the past
Undoing: A person tries to 'undo' an
unhealthy, destructive or otherwise threatening
thought by engaging in contrary behavior.

Altruism: Constructive service to others

that brings pleasure and personal
satisfaction.

Humour: Overt expression of ideas and

feelings (especially those that are
unpleasant to focus on or too terrible to
talk about) that gives pleasure to others.

Identification: is a technique by which an individual

fulfils his basic needs by associating himself
emotionally with famous, persons or popular
institutions.
Introjection: Identifying with some idea or object so
deeply that it becomes a part of that person.
Sublimation: Transformation of negative emotions
or instincts into positive actions, behavior, or
emotion. The individual compensates for the socially
discredited behavior in a socially accepted way.

Thought suppression: The conscious

process of pushing thoughts into the
preconscious; the conscious decision to
delay paying attention to an emotion or
need in order to cope with the present
reality; making it possible to later access
uncomfortable or distressing emotions
while accepting them.

Compensation. This is a mechanism by

which an individual tries to balance or
cover up his deficiency in one field by
exhibiting his strength in another field.
For example, an girl who becomes a
bookworm to secure a position in the class
is making use of such mechanism in order
to alb act attention which she is unable to do
who her looks.

Name the Defense

Mechanism

Joe is mad at Sue as he grits his

teeth. Sue asks, are you mad at me,
and he replies, No, Im not mad at all
as he puts a smile on his face.

Name the Defense

Mechanism

The person who doesnt study says,

the F grade I got on the test was
totally unfair.

Name the Defense

Mechanism

Karl, a tax accountant teacher

instructs his students to follow the
rules of tax law but later Karl cheats on
his taxes.

Name the Defense

Mechanism

Bill Gates tells you your reply is

illogical and you reply, youre the
illogical one! Im smarter than you
anyway.

Name the Defense

Mechanism

Cheating on my taxes is no big deal.

Everybody does it