Defense mechanism

Adjustment, Defense Mechanisms, Conflicts

1. Defense Mechanisms Jyothish M Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham , Mysore

2. Adjustment Dictionary meaning: ‘to fit’, ‘make suitable’, ‘adapt’, etc James Drever (1952): ‘Adjustment means the modification to compensate for or meet special conditions’. Carter V Good (1959): ‘Adjustment is the process of finding and adopting modes of behaviour suitable to the environment or the changes in the environment’.

3. Defense Mechanism Defense mechanism is a technique adopted by individuals to cope with tension, stress and anxiety that are mainly aroused by conflicts. Defense mechanism is given by the Psychologist Sigmund Freud.

4. Conflict is the operation of two incompatible action systems. A Conflict is caused under two situations: It arises when there is an urge to fulfill the two equally important objectives and needs. It arises when two different goals are set to fulfill a single need.

5. Types of Conflicts: An approach-approach conflict An approach-avoidance conflict An avoidance-avoidance conflict

6. Types of Defense mechanisms

7. Displacement  it is the redirecting of feelings and anger to other person who had nothing to do with it. Repression  is defense mechanism where one unconsciously blocks unacceptable feelings and thoughts. Regression  is defense mechanism in which the person reversion to an earlier stage of development when he face of unacceptable thoughts or impulses.

8. Fantasy,  also called day dreaming, is a defense mechanism where one starts imaging thing which is not happening to him in real life. Projection  in this type of defense mechanism the person blame other for being hostile to him, the fact is other way around . Compensation  it is defense mechanism where one tries to compensate his weakness and stress on his strong area.

9. Sublimation is a defense mechanism where a person channels energy of unacceptable feeling to a more useful feeling. Reaction Formation . It is a defense mechanism where one can’t express his true emotions of unhappiness toward a job or task given to him by some one. He converts his feeling of unhappiness and unwillingness to opposite thoughts and shows his willingness and happiness for that task. Undoing it is the state of mind where one tries to take back his previous behavior.

10. Nomadism - one who deviates from the unpleasant situations. Rationalization  it is a defense mechanism where one finds different explanations for his failure putting and sees things in different perception.