Denial

1
Denial

• Umbrella to which all the defense mechanism
  exist.
• Denial, in ordinary English usage, is asserting
  that a statement or allegation is not true.1
  psychological defense mechanism by Sigmund Freud,
  in which a person is faced with a fact that is
  too uncomfortable to accept and rejects it
  instead, insisting that it is not true despite
  what may be overwhelming evidence.23
• The subject may use
• simple denial deny the reality of the unpleasant
  fact altogether

• Example
• Student cheats on a test, the teacher see him
  doing it but when asked about it he denies it
  happened. High school students are excepts at
  denial.

2
Rationalization

• The defense mechanism that occurs when the ego
  does not accept the real motive for the
  individuals behavior and replaces it with a
  cover motive.

• Example A high schooler get a failing grade on
  the Maslow test. However when asked why they
  fail, the student says it is because the teacher
  hates her. Instead of taking responsibility for
  the reality they didnt attend class and didnt
  study the content.

3
Repression

• Works to push an unacceptable ID impulses and
  traumatic memories out of the awareness.
• Rationalization is the foundation from which all
  other defense mechanisms work.

• Example
• A child was sexually molested from the age of 5-9
  by her 1st uncle, but she does not remember the
  event happening to her. She does not like to
  talk about abuse, but doesnt think it pertains
  to her.

4
Displacement

• Occurs when an individual shitfs and unacceptable
  feeling from one object to another more
  acceptable one.
• In Freudian psychology, displacement an
  unconscious defense mechanism whereby the mind
  redirects effects from an object felt to be
  dangerous or unacceptable to an object felt to be
  safe or acceptable.

• Example A parents has a verbally abusive boss
  at work and doesnt defend themselves, but when
  they get home they yell and spank their kids.

5
Sublimation

• Occurs when the ego replaces an unacceptable
  impulse with a socially approved course of
  action.
• Sublimation is a defense mechanism that allows us
  to act out unacceptable impulses by converting
  these behaviors into a more acceptable form.
  Freud believed that sublimation was a sign of
  maturity that allows people to function normally
  in socially acceptable ways

• Example, a person experiencing extreme anger
  might take up kick-boxing as a means of venting
  frustration
• Jack and Jill example

6
Projection

• Occurs when we attribute our own shortcomings or
  problem to the fault of others. We cant face
  how our own unwanted feelings so we project them
  onto others as undesirable traits.
• Projection works by allowing the expression of
  the desire or impulse, but in a way that the ego
  cannot recognize, therefore reducing anxiety

• Example
• If you have a strong dislike for someone, you
  might instead believe that he or she does not
  like you.
• You have a tardy problem and you are upset when
  you are meeting someone and they are late.

7
Reaction Formation

• Occurs when we express an unacceptable impulse by
  transforming into the opposite.
• reduces anxiety by taking up the opposite.

• An example of reaction formation would be
  treating someone you strongly dislike in an
  excessively friendly manner in order to hide your
  true feelings.
• You try out for the basketball team anddont make
  it but say you didnt want to be on that team
  anyway.

8
Regression

• Occurs when we behave in a way characteristic of
  a previous developmental level.
• When confronted by stressful events, people
  sometimes abandon coping strategies and revert to
  patterns of behavior used earlier in development

• Example
• An individual fixated at an earlier
  developmental stage might cry or sulk upon
  hearing unpleasant news.
• An individual get into the fetal position when
  they see a scary movie.

9
Final Thoughts

• Defense mechanisms are psychological strategies
  brought into play by the unconscious mind1 to
  manipulate, deny, or distort reality.
• Healthy persons normally use different defenses
  throughout life.
• An ego defense mechanism becomes pathological
  only when its persistent use leads to maladaptive
  behavior such that the physical and/or mental
  health of the individual is adversely affected.

• Defense mechanisms are unconscious coping
  mechanisms that reduce anxiety generated by
  threats from unacceptable impulses.5
• Defense mechanisms are sometimes confused with
  coping strategies