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Behavioral Science Defense mechanisms

Terms

undefined, object
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Acting Out
LM
deal w/ emotional conflict by action rather than by feelings. "start ripping pages out of their syllabus as manifestation of your anger instead of telling your friend you are hungry too"
Denial
LM
deal by refusing to acknowledge some painful aspect of external reality or subjective experience that would be apparent to others, at times denial can alter a person's perception fo reality. "I ate a sandwich 5 minutes ago, I cannot be hungry (even though you did not)"
Devaluation
LM
deal by attributing exaggerted negative qualitites to one's self or others. "I'm hungry but look at al that mayonnaise on that sandwich its so fatttening, cheese probably has mould on it too"
Dissociation
LM
deal by having breakdown of consciousness, memory perception or self or environment. "My friend may be eating a sandwich byt im elsewhere dining on a four course meal" *often experienced by kids/adults who expereicned sexual abuse, see self from across the room
Help-Rejecting complaining
LM
deal by complaining or making repetitious requests for help that disguise covert feelings of hostitlity or reproach toward others, which are then expressed by rejecting the suggestions, advice or help offered by others. "you say oh i sidh I could have a really wonderful sandqich like yours and your friend says you can go to the cafeteria but you say oh but then I have to walk al the way and wait in line and tell the person what I want and stand in line to pay, I just couldnt get a sandwich like yours"
idealization
LM
deal by attributing exaggerated positive qualitites to others "look at neighbor and think, they are so smart for getting sandqich on the break, in fact they are such a good student and such a nice person"
projection
LM
deal by falsely attributing to another his or her own unacceptable feelings,impulses or thoughts. "look at neighbor and say whats wrong with you, you just keep looking at me like you want something from me" *seen in schizophrenia b/c accuse physician of being angry w/them when they are actually angry at physician
Splitting
LM
deal by compartmentalizing opposite emotional states and failing to integrate the positive and negative qualitites of individuals into a cohesive picture. ppl devided as all good or all bad, no concept of middle ground*in hospital pt sees docotor as perfect and nurse as bad who doenst care about them. dr and nurse end up in conflict not because they are at odds but the pt has made them good against bad
Displacement
MM
deals by transferring a feeling about ot response to an object onto another subtitute object "you look for the most passive classmate you know and steal his potato chips"
Identification
MM
deal with loss or separation from an object by identifying w/ the loved object. children dress up like parents and pretend to go to wk each day to take on the qualitites of parent when they separate lessens the anxiety of separation
intellectualization
MM
deal by excressive use of abstract thinking or making of generalizations to cntrl or minimize disturbing feelings. "start thinking about the details of your neighbor eating. you think about the muscles and nerves involved in chewing etc. get so wrapped up in cognative process, no longer aware of our desire to take the sandwich
introjection
MM
deals by internalizing qualitites of an object or person often obliterating the distinction btwn the individual and the object. *Stockholm syndrom where prisoners begin to identify w/ captors and become loyal * after hospital stay child goes home and plays dr. this makes Dr. less threatening
isolation of affect
MM
deals by separation of ideas from feelings originally associated w/ them. lose touch w/ feelings associated w/ given idea "really just wanted to reacho ther and take sandwich" while remaining aware of conitive elements of it "neighbor was eating a smoked turkey sandwich on wheat bread w/ cheese, sandwich had a genours amt of lettuce and very red tomato"
passive aggression
MM
deal by indirectly and unassertively expressing aggression. facade of overt compliance masking covert resistance, resentment or hostility "neighbor asks you to get them a soda, you agree and on the way back from the machine you drop one can and happen to give the dropped one to them"
rationalization
MM
deal by concealing the true motivations for his or her own thoughts, actions or feelins through the elaboration of reassuring or self-serving, but incorrect explanations. "look and sandwich and think I dont want that sandwich, it has mayonnaise, cheese, that would make me gain weight, it also lacks lettuce and that would deprice me of vegetables so crucial to my diet"
rxn formation
MM
deal by substituting behavior, thoughts or feelings diametrically opposed to his or her own unacceptable thoughts or feelings. "you look at neighbor w/ sudden dislike b/c they have food and you are hungry but you would turn to your neighbot, smile and congratulate them for their outstnading performance last block"
Repression
MM
deal by expelling disturbing wishesm thoughts or experiences from conscious awareness *occurs in extreme traumatic events, often abuse, memories w/ emotions far beyond the abilit of the individual to address them are repressed, not consciously remembered. can come back from unconscious to preconscious (not case w/ denial)
Altruism
Mat
deal by dedication to meeting ht eneds of others "instead of taking your friend's sandwich you go make sandwiches at a shelter to feed other who are hungry"
Anticipation
Mat
deals by expereiencing emotional rxns in advance of or anticipating consequences of possible future events and considering realistic alternative responses. "you know your friend eats a sandwich every day at 11am, you anticipate being hungry and bring your own" *helpful in illness, family prepares for inevitable death
Humor
Mat
deals by emphasizing the amusing or ironic aspects of conflict.
Sublimination
Mat
deals by channeling potentially maladaptive feelings or impulses into socially acceptable behaviors. "look at neighbors sandwhich acknowledge to yourself how appetixing ti looked, however you would go to the gym and work out b/c you would attempt to chnl your aggressive feelings to take the sandwich into a very hard run on the treadmill"
Suppression
Mat
deal by intentialy avoiding thoughts related to stress. this is conscious. This is the only defense mechanism a person has cntrl over. "see friend eating sandwich but think, im hungry but I need to concentrate only on my exam, after exam I can have whatever I want"

Deck Info

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