HUMAN BEHAVIOURHUMAN BEHAVIOUR

Defense MechanismsDefense Mechanisms

Defense MechanismsDefense Mechanisms

Good way to illustrate that there Good way to illustrate that there is a fuzzy line between is a fuzzy line between psychologically healthy and psychologically healthy and unhealthy statesunhealthy states

Ways of dealing with unpleasant Ways of dealing with unpleasant and stressful situations by and stressful situations by deceiving oneselfdeceiving oneself

(if they are used too often it is (if they are used too often it is unhealthy).unhealthy).

Types of Defense Types of Defense MechanismsMechanisms

FantasyFantasy RepressionRepression RationalizationRationalization RegressionRegression DenialDenial SublimationSublimation UndoingUndoing

FANTASYFANTASY

channeling of unacceptable or channeling of unacceptable or unattainable desires into imagination; unattainable desires into imagination; occasional daydreaming is harmless, occasional daydreaming is harmless, but if we continually resort to it but if we continually resort to it instead of dealing with reality, we will instead of dealing with reality, we will never solve our problems or achieve never solve our problems or achieve our goals.our goals.

REPRESSIONREPRESSION

process of pushing a painful process of pushing a painful thought or experience into our thought or experience into our unconscious mind. unconscious mind. AmnesiaAmnesia is is sometimes an extreme form of sometimes an extreme form of repression.repression.

RATIONALISATIONRATIONALISATION

not facing the real reasons for not facing the real reasons for our behaviour and convincing our behaviour and convincing ourselves that there are other ourselves that there are other reasons.reasons.

Sour GrapesSour Grapes - this is a form of - this is a form of rationalization. When we cannot rationalization. When we cannot reach a goal, we tell ourselves reach a goal, we tell ourselves and perhaps others that it was and perhaps others that it was not a worthwhile goal.not a worthwhile goal.

REGRESSIONREGRESSION

When we cannot deal with When we cannot deal with problems in a mature way, we problems in a mature way, we may go back to behaviour may go back to behaviour patterns of an early period of our patterns of an early period of our lives.lives.

DenialDenial

refusal to accept reality and to refusal to accept reality and to act as if a painful event, thought act as if a painful event, thought or feeling did not exist.or feeling did not exist.

SublimationSublimation

the channeling of unacceptable the channeling of unacceptable impulses into more acceptable impulses into more acceptable outlets. outlets.

For instance, a man who is For instance, a man who is dissatisfied with his sex life but dissatisfied with his sex life but who has not stepped out on his who has not stepped out on his wife becomes very busy wife becomes very busy repairing his house while his repairing his house while his wife is out of town.wife is out of town.

UndoingUndoing

the attempt to take back the attempt to take back behavior or thoughts that are behavior or thoughts that are unacceptable. unacceptable.

An example of undoing would An example of undoing would be excessively praising be excessively praising someone after having insulted someone after having insulted them.them.

3 Steps to Problem Solving:3 Steps to Problem Solving:

Understand the problemUnderstand the problem Look for solutionsLook for solutions Judge solutions: Which one will Judge solutions: Which one will

help you solve your help you solve your problem/achieve your goal? From problem/achieve your goal? From this you this you make a decisionmake a decision !!