Freud’s Defense Freud’s Defense MechanismsMechanisms

The Ego’s job is so difficult that The Ego’s job is so difficult that unconsciously all people resort to unconsciously all people resort to psychological defenses. Rather than psychological defenses. Rather than face intense frustration, conflict, or face intense frustration, conflict, or feelings of unworthiness, people feelings of unworthiness, people trick themselves into believing trick themselves into believing nothing is wrong.nothing is wrong.

Defense MechanismsDefense Mechanisms

Defenders of the ego from Defenders of the ego from experiencing anxiety about failing in experiencing anxiety about failing in its tasks.its tasks.

RepressionRepression

When a person has painful memories When a person has painful memories and unacceptable thoughts and and unacceptable thoughts and motives that causes the ego too motives that causes the ego too much anxiety, she may push that much anxiety, she may push that thought or urge out of consciousness thought or urge out of consciousness down into the unconscious.down into the unconscious.

ProjectionProjection

Another way the ego avoids anxiety is Another way the ego avoids anxiety is to believe that impulses coming from to believe that impulses coming from within are really coming from other within are really coming from other people.people.

Reaction FormationReaction Formation

Involves replacing an unacceptable Involves replacing an unacceptable feeling or urge with its opposite.feeling or urge with its opposite.

For example a divorced father may For example a divorced father may resent having his child for the resent having his child for the weekend. Unconsciously, he feels it weekend. Unconsciously, he feels it is terribly wrong for a father to react is terribly wrong for a father to react that way. So he showers the child that way. So he showers the child with expressions of love and exciting with expressions of love and exciting trips.trips.

RegressionRegression

Means going back to an earlier and less Means going back to an earlier and less mature pattern of behavior. When a mature pattern of behavior. When a person is under severe pressure and person is under severe pressure and his or her other defense mechanisms his or her other defense mechanisms are not working he may start acting in are not working he may start acting in a way that helped him in the past.a way that helped him in the past.

For example temper tantrums, crying, For example temper tantrums, crying, making faces or reverting to eating making faces or reverting to eating and sleeping all the time.and sleeping all the time.

SublimationSublimation

Unconscious shifting of an Unconscious shifting of an unacceptable drive. unacceptable drive.

Example: Lust for a sister into a Example: Lust for a sister into a culturally acceptable behavior, lust culturally acceptable behavior, lust for your friends sister.for your friends sister.

DisplacementDisplacement

Occurs when the object of an Occurs when the object of an unconscious wish provokes anxiety. unconscious wish provokes anxiety. The anxiety is reduced when the ego The anxiety is reduced when the ego unconsciously shifts to another unconsciously shifts to another object.object.

For example if you wanted to hit your For example if you wanted to hit your father but you hit your little brother father but you hit your little brother instead. instead.