Defense Mechanisms
Featuring Id, Ego, and Super Ego
Why do we have defense mechanisms?
We have defense mechanisms because naturally as humans we are pulled and driven towards reducing the amount of tension, stress, and anxiety in our daily lives. Our natural instincts are fight or flight so defense mechanisms give us different and socially acceptable ways to do that according to Mr.Freud.
Denial
Denial is when you are arguing against the anxiety in your life and provoking the stimuli that is producing the anxiety by stating that it is non-existence.
An example of this would be denying the fact that your doctor has diagnosed you with a deadly disease and denying the fact of it and creating an alternative answer in your mind.
Reaction Formation
Reaction formation is when you take the opposite belief because the true belief cause you stress, tension, and anxiety. We will do anything possible to keep those feelings away.
An example of this is when you develop a strong dislike or bias to a group or a person and take your dislike to the extreme
Projection
This is when you place unacceptable impulses in yourself onto someone else. An example of this is when your in an argument with someone and they prove your point to be invalid; and you call them a name or say something that makes it so they seem like they are not as good as you.
Displacement
When you take out your impulses on a target that seems not so threatening to you. These impulses can be aggression or even sadness. An example of this would be punching or screaming into a pillow in sadness or even in rage
Repression
This is when you are pulling and constantly going into the unconscious mind because of a traumatizing experience. An example would be, if you were physically or sexually abused when you were younger or recently.
All the Ego's
Id: Primitive or instinctive component of our personalities. It is our impulsive and unconscious part of our psyche which is in direct correspondence with our instincts.
Ego: This basically is the peacekeeper between our sanity and the chaos of our unconscious mind. This is the main manager of our personality. It seeks pleasure and avoids pain.
Super Ego: Incorporates the morals and values of society. Also is controls Id's impulses, and it has two systems conscience and ideal self.
Citations
- McLeod, S. (2008, January 1). Defense Mechanisms | Simply Psychology. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/defense-mechanisms.html
- Anxiety and Ego-Defense Mechanisms. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://homepages.rpi.edu/~verwyc/defmech.htm
- Grohol, J. (n.d.). 15 Common Defense Mechanisms. Retrieved December 15, 2014, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/15-common-defense-mechanisms/0001251