Ego Defense Mechanisms

Vocabulary flashcards covering 17 common ego defense mechanisms from Table 3.1.

Compensation

Overachieving in one area to counterbalance real or perceived deficiencies in another.

Conversion

Transforming emotional conflict into a physical symptom, usually sensorimotor in nature.

Denial

Refusing to acknowledge an intolerable reality or condition.

Displacement

Redirecting intense feelings toward a less threatening person or object.

Dissociation

Temporarily altering consciousness or identity to escape emotional conflict.

Fixation

Stalling personality development at an earlier stage due to unmet developmental tasks.

Identification

Adopting the behaviors or opinions of someone admired to pursue a goal or sense of identity.

Intellectualization

Separating the emotional components of a painful event from the factual details.

Introjection

Internalizing another person’s attitudes, beliefs, or values as one’s own.

Projection

Attributing one’s unacceptable thoughts or impulses to someone else.

Rationalization

Justifying or excusing behavior to avoid guilt, responsibility, or anxiety.

Reaction Formation

Expressing feelings or behaviors opposite to one’s true impulses.

Regression

Reverting to an earlier developmental stage to feel safe or meet needs.

Repression

Involuntarily blocking painful or anxiety-provoking thoughts from awareness.

Resistance

Consciously or unconsciously opposing the recall or processing of anxiety-producing information.

Sublimation

Channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities.

Substitution

Replacing an unattainable or unacceptable goal with one that is more achievable.

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