15
c.
Acting Out
Acting Out is performing an extreme behavior in order to express thoughts or feelings the person feels incapable of otherwise
expressing. In this type of defense, the individual copes with stress by engaging in actions rather than reflecting upon internal feelings.
28
Instead of saying, ―I’m angry with you,‖ a person who acts out may instead throw a book at the person, or punch a hole through a
wall. When a person acts out, it can act as a pressure release, and often helps the individual feel calmer and peaceful once again. Additionally,
acting out is the defense done by action instead of feeling. d.
Dissociation
Dissociation is when a person loses track of time and or person, and instead finds another representation of their self in order to
continue in the moment. A person who dissociates often loses track of time or themselves and their usual thought processes and memories. A
person who dissociates can disconnect from the real world for a time, and live in a different world that is not cluttered with thoughts, feelings
or memories that are unbearable.
29
e.
Compartmentalization
Compartmentalization is a lesser form of dissociation, wherein parts of oneself are separated from awareness of other parts and
behaving as if one had separate sets of values. An example might be an
28
Loc. Cit, Simply Psychology Defense Mechanisms
29
Loc. Cit.
16
honest person who cheats on their income tax return and keeps their two value systems distinct and un-integrated while remaining
unconscious of the cognitive dissonance.
30
f. Projection
Projection is the defense which is believed that if a human
dislike someone, he thinks that someone dislike himself. Lois Tyson
said in his book that projection is ascribing our fear, problem, or guilty desire to someone else and then condemning him or her for it, in order
to deny that we have it ourselves.
31
For example, if you have a strong dislike for someone, you might instead believe that he or she does not
like you. Projection works by allowing the expression of the desire or impulse, but in a way that the ego cannot recognize, therefore reducing
anxiety. g.
Reaction Formation Reaction formation is the defense which work to hide their real
feeling by act the opposite. Matt Jarvis added that in some theoretical approaches in psychology, that reaction formation takes place when we
go a stage beyond denial and adopt an attitude that is diametrically opposed to our real feelings.
32
Reaction formation reduces anxiety by taking up the opposite feeling, impulse or behavior. An example of
reaction formation would be treating someone you strongly dislike in an excessively friendly manner in order to hide your true feelings.
30
Loc. Cit, Common Defense Mechanism.
31
Op. Cit, Lois Tyson, p.15
32
Op. cit, Maat Jarvis, 2000, p. 37.
17
According to Freud, they are using reaction formation as a defense mechanism to hide their true feelings by behaving in the exact opposite
manner.
33
2. Less Primitive, More Mature Defense Mechanisms
Less primitive defense mechanisms are a step up from the primitive defense mechanisms in the previous section. Many people
employ these defenses as adults, and while they work okay for many, they are not ideal ways of dealing with our feelings, stress and anxiety. If you
recognize yourself using a fe w of these, don’t feel bad everybody does.
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a.
Repression
Looking up Matt Jarvis’s book, repression occurs when a memory, such as that of a traumatic event or a guilt-provoking sexual
fantasy, is forcibly blocked from being remembered.
35
Repression is the unconscious blocking of unacceptable thoughts, feelings and
impulses. The key to repression is that people do it unconsciously, so they often have very little control over it.
36
b.
Displacement
Displacement occurs when a person redirects his or her impulses or emotions from an unacceptable or dangerous target to a more
acceptable or safer target.
37
Another explanation, displacement takes
33
Loc. Cit, Defense Mechanism.
34
Loc. Cit, common-defense-mechanismsall1
35
Op. cit, Maat Jarvis, p. 36-37.
36
Loc. Cit, common-defense-mechanismsall1
37
Laura Freberg. 2012. What is displacement?-Psychology.Answer.com. Retrieved from http:psych.answers.compsychoanalysiswhat-is-displacement
. accessed on 9 july 2013.
18
place when we redirect emotions, most commonly anger, it is easy to see in everyday life, most of us tend to take out our bad moods on
unfortunate colleagues, friends and family, even when they were not the cause of the bad mood.
38
c.
Intellectualization
Intellectualization works to reduce anxiety by thinking about events in a cold, clinical way. This defense mechanism allows us to
avoid thinking about the stressful, emotional aspect of the situation and instead focus only on the intellectual component.
39
For example, a person who has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness might focus
on learning everything about the disease in order to avoid distress and remain distant from the reality of the situation.
d.
Rationalization
Rationalization is a defense mechanism that involves explaining an unacceptable behavior or feeling in a rational or logical manner,
avoiding the true reasons for the behavior. Rationalization is putting something into a different light or offering a different explanation for
one’s perceptions or behaviors in the face of a changing reality.
40
For instance, a student might blame a poor exam score on the instructor
rather than his or her lack of preparation.
38
Op. Cit, Maat Jarvis, p. 37.
39
Loc. Cit, common-defense-mechanismsall1
40
Loc. Cit, Theories Of Personality.
19
e.
Undoing
Undoing is the attempt to take back an unconscious behavior or thought that is unacceptable or hurtful. For instance, after realizing you
just insulted your significant other unintentionally, you might spend then, next hour praising their beauty, charm and intellect. By undoing
the previous action, the person is attempting to counteract the damage done by the original comment, hoping the two will balance one another
out.
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3. Mature Defense Mechanisms
Mature defense mechanisms are often the most constructive and helpful to most adults, but may require practice and effort to put into daily
use. While primitive defense mechanisms do little to try and resolve underlying issues or problems, mature defenses are more focused on
helping a person be a more constructive component of their environment. People with more mature defenses tend to be more at peace with
themselves and those around them.
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a.
Sublimation
Sublimation takes place when we manage to displace our emotions into constructive rather than destructive activity. Sublimation
is a defense mechanism that allows us to act out unacceptable impulses by converting these behaviors into a more acceptable form. Freud
41
Loc. Cit.
42
Loc. Cit.
