Search results
Sep 1, 2022 · Defense mechanisms are unconscious behaviors or psychological strategies people use to avoid experiencing anxiety, discomfort, or threats to the ego. Common examples of defense mechanisms include denial, projection, rationalization, and suppression, among many others. People are typically not aware when they're using these self-protective ...
- Superiority Complex
"Superiority complexes usually are defense mechanisms that...
- Projecting
mindbodygreen is a lifestyle media brand dedicated to...
- Compartmentalization
A common example is the way we all compartmentalize certain...
- Avoidant Attachment Style
However, their hyper-independence and strong defense...
- Passive-aggressive Behavior
For example, say you've asked your partner or a roommate to...
- Suppress Their Emotions
Research suggests that suppressing emotions is associated...
- Superiority Complex
- Compensation. Compensating for a perceived fault by excelling in some other area. For example, if you feel like a failure in your family life you may excel at your career.
- Denial. Simply ignoring an inconvenient reality.
- Displacement. Substituting an unacceptable idea or action for an acceptable one. For example, an employee who is unable to act out against their boss for fear of being fired who instead acts out by driving aggressively on their commute.
- Dissociation. Disconnecting from physical, social and emotional realities.
- Overview
- 10 Key Defense Mechanisms
- 10 Other Common Defense Mechanisms
- How Do Defense Mechanisms Work?
- Coping With Unhealthy Defense Mechanisms
- A Word From Verywell
Trending Videos
Defense mechanisms are unconscious psychological responses that protect people from feelings of anxiety, threats to self-esteem, and things that they don't want to think about or deal with.
Defense mechanisms were first described by Sigmund Freud in his psychoanalytic theory. According to Freud, these mechanisms protect the conscious mind from contradictions between the animalistic id and the idealistic superego, ultimately contributing to "mental homeostasis."
Here we explain the 20 most common defense mechanisms, some of which include denial, projection, dissociation, and humor. We also share how these mechanisms work and ways to cope if you tend to use any of them.
Defense Mechanisms vs. Defence Mechanisms
In the U.S., the term "defense mechanisms" is spelled with an 's' in defense. However, in other areas of the world, it is spelled with a 'c.' If you live in the U.K., for instance, the spelling is "defence mechansms." So, you may see it spelled either way. Defense Mechanism Brief Description Example Displacement Taking feelings out on others Being angry at your boss but taking it out on your spouse instead Denial Denying that something exists Being the victim of a violent crime, yet denying that the incident occurred Repression Unconsciously keeping unpleasant information from your conscious mind Being abused as a child but not remembering the abuse Suppression Consciously keeping unpleasant information from your conscious mind Being abused as a child but choosing to push it out of your mind Sublimation Converting unacceptable impulses into more acceptable outlets Being upset with your spouse but going for a walk instead of fighting Projection Assigning your own unacceptable feelings or qualities to others Feeling attracted to someone other than your spouse, then fearing that your spouse is cheating on you Intellectualization Thinking about stressful things in a clinical way Losing a close family member and staying busy with making the necessary arrangements instead of feeling sad Rationalization Justifying an unacceptable feeling or behavior with logic Being denied a loan for your dream house, then saying it's a good thing because the house was too big anyway Regression Reverting to earlier behaviors Hugging a teddy bear when you're stressed, like you did when you were a child Reaction Formation Replacing an unwanted impulse with its opposite Being sad about a recent breakup, but acting happy about it
Displacement
Have you ever had a really bad day at work, then went home and took out your frustration on family and friends? If you answered yes, you have experienced the ego defense mechanism of displacement. Displacement involves taking out our frustrations, feelings, and impulses on people or objects that are less threatening. Displaced aggression is a common example of this defense mechanism. Rather than express your anger in ways that could lead to negative consequences (like arguing with your boss), you instead express your anger toward a person or object that poses no threat (such as your spouse, children, or pets).
Denial
Denial is probably one of the best-known defense mechanisms. Denial functions to protect the ego from things with which the person cannot cope and is used often to describe situations in which people seem unable to face reality or admit an obvious truth (e.g., "They're in denial"). Denial is an outright refusal to admit or recognize that something has occurred or is currently occurring. People living with drug or alcohol addiction often deny that they have a problem, while victims of traumatic events may deny that the event ever occurred. While it may temporarily shield you from anxiety or pain, denial also requires a substantial investment of energy. Because of this, other defenses are used to help keep these unacceptable feelings from conscious awareness. In many cases, there might be overwhelming evidence that something is true, yet the person will continue to deny its existence or truth because it is too uncomfortable to face.
Since Freud first described the original defense mechanisms, other researchers have continued to describe other methods of reducing anxiety. Some of these defense mechanisms include:
•Acting out: Coping with stress by engaging in actions rather than acknowledging and bearing certain feelings. For example, instead of telling someone that you are angry with them, you might yell at them or throw something against the wall.
•Aim inhibition: Accepting a modified form of their original goal. An example of this would be becoming a high school basketball coach rather than a professional athlete.
•Altruism: Satisfying internal needs through helping others. For example, someone recovering from substance use might volunteer to help others in recovery as a way to deal with drug cravings.
•Avoidance: Refusing to deal with or encounter unpleasant objects or situations. For example, rather than discuss a problem with someone, you might simply start avoiding them altogether so you don't have to deal with the issue.
•Compensation: Overachieving in one area to compensate for failures in another. For example, someone who feels insecure academically might compensate by excelling in athletics.
In Sigmund Freud's model of personality, the ego is the aspect of personality that deals with reality. While doing this, the ego also has to cope with the conflicting demands of the id and the superego.
•The id: The part of the personality that seeks to fulfill all wants, needs, and impulses. The id is the most basic, primal part of our personalities and does not consider things such as social appropriateness, morality, or even the reality of fulfilling our wants and needs.
•The superego: The part of the personality that tries to get the ego to act in an idealistic and moral manner. The superego is made up of all the internalized morals and values we acquire from our parents, other family members, religious influences, and society.
To deal with anxiety, Freud believed that defense mechanisms helped shield the ego from the conflicts created by the id, superego, and reality. So what happens when the ego cannot deal with the demands of our desires, the constraints of reality, and our own moral standards?
While all defense mechanisms can be unhealthy, they can also be adaptive and allow us to function normally. For example, altruism, humor, sublimation, and suppression are four mature defense mechanisms that signal higher adaptiveness.
At the same time, problems can arise when defense mechanisms are overused in an attempt to avoid dealing with problems. To keep this from happening to you, here are a few ways to cope with unhealthy defenses.
•Develop greater self-awareness. Self-awareness helps you identify when you may be using one or more defense mechanisms too often. Once you take this step, you know where you need to make changes.
•Learn effective coping skills. If you have an unhealthy defense mechanism, learning new coping skills can help you better deal with uncomfortable emotions. Coping skills include meditation, establishing healthy boundaries, and asking for support.
•Seek mental health therapy. Psychoanalytic therapy can help you uncover your unconscious defense mechanisms and find better, healthier ways of coping with anxiety and distress.
How to Stop Being Defensive
Some of the best-known defense mechanisms have become a common part of everyday language. For example, you might describe someone as being "in denial" of a problem they face. When someone falls back into old ways of doing things, you might term them as "regressing" into an earlier point of development.
Remember, defense mechanisms can be both good and bad. They can serve a helpful role by protecting your ego from stress and providing a healthy outlet. In other instances, these defense mechanisms might hold you back from facing reality and can act as a form of self-deception.
- Denial. This involves a person not recognizing the reality of a stressful situation in order to protect themselves from overwhelming fear or anxiety.
- Distortion. Distortion involves a person believing something to be true when it is not. In some cases, distortion can protect a person from the uncomfortable reality of a situation.
- Projection. Projection involves a person accusing someone else of having thoughts or feelings that they themselves are having. It can be a way of avoiding unwanted thoughts or avoiding responsibility for a particular behavior.
- Dissociation. Dissociation involves feeling disconnected from a stressful or traumatic event — or feeling that the event is not really happening. It is a way to block out mental trauma and protect the mind from experiencing too much stress.
Mar 13, 2024 · Defense mechanisms are behaviors that people use to separate themselves from unpleasant events, actions, or thoughts. Similarly, in an M&A, the target firm takes a few measures to resist the takeover. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are frequently used to broaden a company's reach, enter new markets, or increase market share.
- Abhinav Bhardwaj
It aims to provide a bridge between psychology/neuroscience research and economics research in attack-and-defense by stipulating relevant literature, clarifying theoretical structures, and suggesting improvements in experimental designs and possible further investigations.
People also ask
What are defense mechanisms?
What are some examples of defense mechanisms?
What are defense mechanisms in M&A?
What is an example of a healthy defense mechanism?
What is an example of a mature defense mechanism?
How many defense mechanisms are there?
Defense mechanisms are ways that people manage difficult emotions, often involving unconscious distortions of reality to make things easier to swallow. Some of the most common defense mechanisms ...
