Psychology: Defense Mechanisms

Study Notes

Defense Mechanisms

Repression:
- Active process of forcing unwanted, anxiety-laden experiences into the unconscious.
- Considered the most fundamental defense mechanism as it underlies all others.
Undoing:
- Ego attempts to eliminate unpleasant experiences and their consequences through repetitive ceremonial actions.
Isolation:
- Involves obsessive thoughts associated with an experience.
- The ego isolates a painful experience by creating an insensible barrier around it.
Reaction Formation:
- Characterized by the repression of an emotional impulse followed by the exaggerated expression of its opposite.
Displacement:
- Mechanism where unwanted urges are redirected onto different objects or people to disguise their original source.
Fixation:
- Occurs when psychic energy is stuck at one developmental stage, hindering further psychological development and change.
Regression:
- Involves reverting to earlier, more primal behaviors typical of infancy when confronted with stress.
Projection:
- The process of attributing one’s own unacceptable feelings or behaviors onto others.
- Extreme cases may lead to paranoia, marked by delusions of persecution.
Introjection:
- Incorporating positive characteristics of another person into one’s own sense of self to alleviate feelings of inferiority.
Sublimation:
- Elevates the sexual instinct’s aim to a higher level, allowing individuals to contribute positively to society and culture.

Description

Test your knowledge on the various defense mechanisms in psychology, including repression, displacement, and regression. This quiz covers the fundamental concepts that explain how individuals cope with anxiety and emotional pain. Prepare to challenge your understanding of these critical psychological processes.