Defense Mechanisms
Definition
Defense mechanisms are unconscious psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and to maintain self-image.
Analogy
Consider defense mechanisms as your personal bodyguards. They protect your self-esteem from threats and uncomfortable realities just like bodyguards protect celebrities from harm.
Related terms
Repression: This is a psychological attempt made by an individual to their characteristics that they find harmful into their unconsciousness.
Denial: Denial is probably one of the best known defense mechanisms, used often to describe situations in which people seem unable to face reality or admit an obvious truth (i.e., "He's in denial.").
Projection: Projection is a psychological defense mechanism in which individuals attribute characteristics they find unacceptable in themselves to another person.
"Defense Mechanisms" appears in:
Study guides (3)
Practice Questions (4)
What purpose do defense mechanisms serve?
According to psychoanalytic theories, what is the primary function of defense mechanisms?
Which research design would allow for an exploration into the influence of defense mechanisms on stress levels according to psychoanalytical theories?
What could be an unconventional counterargument against the Freudian concept of defense mechanisms?
Resources
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