Psychology: Defense Mechanism and Memory

What is the primary reason the man in the example denies his terminal cancer diagnosis?

What is the term for returning to a earlier level of behavior that reduces anxiety?

What is the primary goal of the defense mechanism of regression?

What is the Arabic term for the process of regression?

What can be a consequence of using regression as a defense mechanism?

What is the primary difference between repression and regression?

What is the defense mechanism used by the man in the example?

What can be a benefit of using regression as a defense mechanism?

What is the motivation behind the man's denial of his terminal cancer diagnosis?

What is a common characteristic of individuals who use regression as a defense mechanism?

Defense Mechanisms

Repression: Unconscious mechanism used in early life, where unpleasant or painful memories are blocked from conscious awareness, but can be recalled under certain conditions (e.g., trust, reduced anxiety, intoxication, recovery from anesthesia).

Examples of Repression

Forgetting the reason or recalling feelings of fear following an automobile accident.

Suppression

Voluntary, conscious forcing of unpleasant, anxiety-producing experiences into the preconscious mind.
Example: A student blaming their failure on the teacher's poor lecture material or unfairness of the examination.

Displacement

Transferring emotions associated with a particular situation, object, or person to another object, situation, or person.
Example: Parents often displace feelings of anger or frustration towards their children, as they are more tolerant recipients of such displacement than other adults.

Denial

Unconscious refusal to face thoughts, feelings, wishes, needs, or reality factors that are intolerable.
Example: A man diagnosed with terminal cancer denies the diagnosis, telling his family he has a small tumor that has been removed by his doctor.

Regression

Returning to a level of behavior that reduces anxiety, allows one to feel more comfortable, and permits dependency or returning to behavior that was successful at an earlier stage of life.

This quiz covers the concept of unconsciously forgetting in early life, defense mechanisms, and memory recall. It also touches on psychology-related topics such as nurse-patient relationships and psychoanalysis.