20
4. Defense Mechanism
Defense mechanism is also part of the theory of psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud. It is further explained by Sigmund Freud‘s daughter, Anna Freud.
Defense mechanism is a psychological mechanism to defend itself and defense
mechanism has a main function to maintain the balance between the internal world and external world of the individual. Defense mechanism is activated when
the internal reality demands too much. When external world demands too much, defense mechanism will be activated too.
32
So, defense mechanism as the function of the ego tries to maintain the balance between the id which always tries to seek
the pleasure and superego which always tries to use the norms from the eksternal world. There are some defense mechanisms which are explained by Sigmund
Freud and Ana Freud, such as: dissociation, denial, projection, displacement, rationalization, reaction formation, sublimation, regression, identification, and
intellectualization.
a. Dissociation
There is a difference between repression and dissociation. Repression is the separation between the consciousness and the unconsciousness and
dissociation is the splitting of the consciousness into separate compartments. According to John Birtchnell, there are three stages of dissociative process which
are proposed by Mollon: ―the fragmenting of a traumatic memory, imagining leaving the body and observing it from a distance, and the splitting of
consciousness into a number of separate ego states or mental states, such that what is known or experienced in one state may or may not be known in another.‖
33
33
John Birtchnell. The Two of Me: The Rational Outer Me and the Emotional Inner. East Sussex: Routlege, 2003 pp. 207-208.
21
b. Denial
Denial means that people deny the fact about the event which happens. Denial is used because people do not want to accept the fact about the events that
are considered scary or unwanted. For example: a husband whose wife recently died denies that his wife still alive and he thinks that his wife only goes to
somewhere, so he still searches for her.
34
c. Projection
Projection does not seem like move the thing, because this process is done unconsciously. In short, ―Klein [1934] 1968 proposed the further step of
projection, by which a person projects these unacceptable parts of herhimself on to another person, and attributes to this other person that which she is denying in
herhimself.‖
35
d. Displacement
This defense mechanism tries to change the object of unacceptable feelings against someone or something, such as a woman who is angry with her
children, but she cannot do anything to her children. And then to reduce her feeling, she kicks the dog.
36
e. Rationalization
Rationalization is to invent an acceptable motive or reason to explain unacceptably motive behavior, for example a soldier who killed civilians tries to
rationalize their action by thinking that they only follow the order, so it can reduce the anxiety.
37
34
Susan Nolen-Hoeksema. Abnormal Psychology, Fourth Edition. Boston: McGraw- Hill, 1959p. 50.
35
John Birtchnell. Op cit., p. 208.
36
Susan Nolen-Hoeksema. Loc cit.
37
Ibid.
22
f. Reaction formation
This defense mechanism tries to adopt the attitudes or behaviors that are the opposite of one
‘s true disposition. For example, a person who has high sexual desire tries to against his feeling and shows that he she really hates anything
about sex.
38
g. Sublimation
Sublimation is the process to transform the sexual pressure to become the pressure which is suitable to the norms and the cultures which exist in the society,
such as a person who has strong aggressive impulses trains to be a boxer.
39
h. Regression
Regression as a defense mechanism is the condition when people cannot move to the next step of human development, because they cannot feel
comfortable with the next step that they have to face. John Birtchnell explained about regression in his book, ―this is a process by which an adult, in order to avoid
the stresses of adult sexual behaviour, regresses to an earlier stage of sexual development. Rycroft 1995 observed that a sublimating person may regress to
the sexual behaviour against which the sublimation is a defens e.‖
40
i. Identification
Identification is one of defense mechanisms which adopts ideas and values of someone in a superior position in order to elevate self-worth.
41
38
Ibid.
39
Ibid.
40
John Birtchnell. Op cit., p. 208.
41
Susan Nolen-Hoeksema. Loc cit.
Kategori