The document defines and provides examples of different types of defense mechanisms, which are unconscious coping mechanisms that reduce anxiety from unacceptable thoughts or impulses. It discusses primitive defense mechanisms like denial, acting out, and projection. Less primitive and more mature defenses include repression, displacement, intellectualization, rationalization, undoing, sublimation, compensation, and assertiveness.
2. DEFENSE MECHANISMDEFENSE MECHANISM
Coping technique that reducesCoping technique that reduces
anxiety arising from unacceptableanxiety arising from unacceptable
or potentially harmful impulses.or potentially harmful impulses.
4. DEFENSE MECHANISMSDEFENSE MECHANISMS
Defense mechanisms are a type ofDefense mechanisms are a type of
process or coping that results inprocess or coping that results in
automatic psychological responsesautomatic psychological responses
exhibited as a means of protectingexhibited as a means of protecting
the individual against anxietythe individual against anxiety
(Dziegielewski 2010).(Dziegielewski 2010).
7. DENIALDENIAL
Refusal to accept reality,Refusal to accept reality,
pretending that an uncomfortablepretending that an uncomfortable
thing did not happen.thing did not happen.
A man hears that his wife has beenA man hears that his wife has been
killed, and yet refuses to believe itkilled, and yet refuses to believe it
and still setting the table for her andand still setting the table for her and
keeping her clothes and other things inkeeping her clothes and other things in
bedroom.bedroom.
8. ACTING OUTACTING OUT
Performing an extreme behavior in orderPerforming an extreme behavior in order
to express thoughts or feelings.to express thoughts or feelings.
Instead of sayingInstead of saying i am angry with youi am angry with you aa
person who acts out mayperson who acts out may throw a book atthrow a book at
the person.the person.
9. DISSOCIATIONDISSOCIATION
Unconscious separation of painfulUnconscious separation of painful
feelings and emotions from anfeelings and emotions from an
unacceptable idea, situation orunacceptable idea, situation or
object.object.
eg: amnesia that prevents recall ofeg: amnesia that prevents recall of
previous days auto accident.previous days auto accident.
10. CONVERSIONCONVERSION
The unconscious expression ofThe unconscious expression of
intra- psychic conflict symbolicallyintra- psychic conflict symbolically
through physical symptoms.through physical symptoms.
Eg: a student awakens with a migraine headEg: a student awakens with a migraine head
ache in the morning of a final examinationache in the morning of a final examination
and feels too ill to take the test.and feels too ill to take the test.
11. PPROJECTIONROJECTION
Unconsciously blaming someoneUnconsciously blaming someone
else for ones difficulties.else for ones difficulties.
Eg: a surgeon whose patient does notEg: a surgeon whose patient does not
respond as he anticipated , may tendrespond as he anticipated , may tend
to blame the nurse who assisted theto blame the nurse who assisted the
surgeon.surgeon.
12. RREACTION FORMATIONEACTION FORMATION
Replacing unacceptable feelingsReplacing unacceptable feelings
with their exact opposites.with their exact opposites.
Eg: a jealous boy who hates his elderEg: a jealous boy who hates his elder
brother may show him exaggeratedbrother may show him exaggerated
respect and affection towards him.respect and affection towards him.
13. RREGRESSIONEGRESSION
Reversion to an earlier stage ofReversion to an earlier stage of
development in the face ofdevelopment in the face of
unacceptable thoughts or impulse.unacceptable thoughts or impulse.
Eg: an adult throws a temper tantrumEg: an adult throws a temper tantrum
when he does not get his own way.when he does not get his own way.
14. LESS PRIMITIVE , MORELESS PRIMITIVE , MORE
MATUREMATURE
REPRESSIONREPRESSION
DISPLACEMENTDISPLACEMENT
INTELLECTUALIZATIONINTELLECTUALIZATION
RATIONALIZATIONRATIONALIZATION
UNDOINGUNDOING
16. DISPLACEMENTDISPLACEMENT
Unconsciously discharging pent-upUnconsciously discharging pent-up
emotions or feelings to a lessemotions or feelings to a less
threatening object.threatening object.
Eg : a husband comes home after aEg : a husband comes home after a
bad day at work and yells at his wife.bad day at work and yells at his wife.
17. INTELLECTUALIZATIONINTELLECTUALIZATION
Separations of the emotions of aSeparations of the emotions of a
painful event or situation from thepainful event or situation from the
facts involved ; acknowledging thefacts involved ; acknowledging the
facts but not the emotions.facts but not the emotions.
Eg: persons shows no emotionalEg: persons shows no emotional
expression when discussing seriousexpression when discussing serious
car accident.car accident.
18. RATIONALIZATIONRATIONALIZATION
Individual justifies his failures andIndividual justifies his failures and
socially unacceptable behavior bysocially unacceptable behavior by
giving socially approved reasons.giving socially approved reasons.
Eg: a student who fails in theEg: a student who fails in the
examination may complain that theexamination may complain that the
hostel atmosphere is not favorable andhostel atmosphere is not favorable and
has resulted in his failure.has resulted in his failure.
19. UNDOINGUNDOING
Consciously doing something toConsciously doing something to
counteract or make up for a wrongcounteract or make up for a wrong
doing.doing.
Eg: giving a treat to a child who isEg: giving a treat to a child who is
being punished for a wrong doing.being punished for a wrong doing.
21. SUBLIMATIONSUBLIMATION
Consciously or unconsciouslyConsciously or unconsciously
channeling instinctual drives in tochanneling instinctual drives in to
acceptable activities.acceptable activities.
Eg: aggressiveness might beEg: aggressiveness might be
transformed in to competitiveness intransformed in to competitiveness in
sports or business.sports or business.
22. COMPENSATIONCOMPENSATION
Consciously covering up for aConsciously covering up for a
weakness by over emphasizing orweakness by over emphasizing or
making up a desirable trait.making up a desirable trait.
Eg: a student who fails in exams mayEg: a student who fails in exams may
compensate by becoming collegecompensate by becoming college
champion in athletics.champion in athletics.
23. ASSERTIVENESSASSERTIVENESS
Assertiveness means listening toAssertiveness means listening to
and considering others whileand considering others while
respecting your own needs andrespecting your own needs and
expressing them.expressing them.
