Psychology: Defense Mechanisms, Freud, and Trait Theory

Ego Defense Mechanisms

in Psychoanalytic theory, the ego's protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality

Denial

a defense mechanism that refuses to accept reality

Displacement

when the ego distorts reality and takes an impulse/emotions and places it on another, safer object (you are angry at your father, you cannot act towards him, so you act out on your brother)

Projection

when someone attributes his or her own feelings to another person or group (you want to cheat, you cannot accept this urge, so you say other people are cheating)

Rationalization

when the urge/action is justified by logical/plausible but not accurate reasoning. (you eat compulsively bc of stress, but you say that you always gain weight in the winter time)

Reaction Formation

when you take an urge and manifest its opposite (you want to act impulsively, cannot accept this urge, so you are overly prudish/reserved)

Regression

when the urge/impulse cannot be accepted so a person acts like an earlier stage of development (an adult who cannot accept an impulse plays with dolls)

Repression

the key to Freud's theory; urges that cannot be accepted are pushed down into the unconscious

Sublimation

the healthy channeling of unconscious energy (libido) into prosocial behaviors. For Freud, this was Love and Work

Unconditional Regard

Carl Roger's theory, a caring, accepting, nonjudgmental attitude that would help clients develop self-awareness and self-acceptance. a person should receive UR from loved ones in order to promote more congruent(healthy) behaviors. When a person does not receive UR they will often become more incongruent and therefore more mentally unhealthy.

Self-Actualization

the top of the hierarchy of needs created by A. Maslow. A person should move from more basic needs to self-actualizing needs in order to manifest their true potential

Reciprocal Determinism

the idea that an individual influences the environment and the environment influences the individual.

Big Five Trait Theory

a trait theory that states personality is based on a continuum of 5 traits (CANOE: #56-60)

Conscientiousness

reflects the tendency to be responsible, organized, hard-working, goal-directed, and to adhere to norms and rules

Agreeableness

reflects traits such as compassion, kindness, and caring for other people

Neuroticism-Emotional Stability

refers to a personality dimension that measures an individual's emotional stability and tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness, and irritability.

Openness

refers to how open-minded you are to new ideas or experiences

Extraversion

refers to traits of Energy, positive emotions, surgency, assertiveness, sociability and the tendency to seek stimulation in the company of others, and talkativeness.

Factor Analysis

a statistical method used to describe variability among observed variables in terms of fewer unobserved variables called factors