Defense Mechanisms broken down

Transference

transfers feelings about one person onto someone else

Transference example

Patient distrusts male psychiatrist because he reminds her of her father

Projection

puts your own unacceptable thoughts/feelings onto someone else

Projection example

Someone who is angry says, “You are angry at me.

Denial

refuses to accept reality

Denial example

smoker says, “smoking isn’t hurting me”

Repression

unconsciously blocks painful memories

Repression example

person cannot remember a traumatic event

Suppression

consciously pushes something out of awareness

Suppression example

I’m upset, but i’ll deal with it after my exam

Rationalization

creates a logical explanation to justify behavior (here’s my excuse)

Rationalization example

I failed because the teacher made the test too hard

Intellectualization

focuses on facts/logic instead of emotions

Intellectualization example

patient talks about cancer statistics instead of discussing fear

Dissociation

separates painful emotions from the situation

Dissociation example

person feels detached from themselves during trauma

Identification

models yourself after someone you admire

Identification example

child imitates a favorite athlete

Introjection

unconsciously takes another person’s beliefs/values as your own

Introjection example

child adopts parent’s beliefs without questioning them

Compensation

emphasizes a strength to cover a weakness

Compensation example

struggles academically → works extremely hard at sports

Sublimation

channels unacceptable impulses into acceptable activities

Sublimation example

angry person exercises instead of fighting

Reaction Formation

acts opposite to how they really feel

Reaction Formation example

someone who is jealous acts extremely nice toward the person

Undoing

does something to cancel out a wrong action

Undoing example

says something mean → immediately gives the person a gift

Displacement

redirects feelings from the real source to a less threatening target

Displacement example

boss makes you angry → you go home and yell at your sibling

Conversion

psychological conflict appears as a physical symtpom

Conversion example

severe stress → develops temporary paraylsis without a physical cause

Regression

returns to an early developmental beahvior

Regression example

adult throws a temper tantrum when stressed