lecture 4 on personality theories...pptx

Personality Theories

1. Theories of personality

2. Defense Mechanisms

3. Defense mechanisms are normal and universally used. When carried to an extreme, they lead to compulsive, repetitive and neurotic behavior. The purpose of ego in establishing defense mechanisms is to use the psychic energy , in order to avoid dealing with sexual and aggressive impulses and to defend itself against anxiety that accompanies them. They are techniques used by the ego to protect itself from anxiety and threats . Unconscious psychological processes designed to avoid or reduce the conscious experience of anxiety. Useful in coping with unexpected or disappointing events. Can also make circumstances worse.

4. SOME DEFENSE MECHANISMS Repression Reaction Formation Displacement Sublimation Projection Rationalization Regression

5. “Angry? Me? I don’t feel mad.” “I’m not mad at you. You are mad at me.” “I’m not mad at you. I adore you.” “I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at the maid.” “I’m not mad at you. I’m just tired.” “I’m taking my stuff and going home.” “I’m directing my energies to writing a novel.”

6. Repression : “Angry? Me? I don’t feel mad.” Projection : “I’m not mad at you. You are mad at me.” Reaction Formation : “I’m not mad at you. I adore you.” Displacement : “I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at the maid.” Rationalization : “I’m not mad at you. I’m just tired.” Regression : “I’m taking my stuff and going home.” Sublimation : “I’m directing my energies to writing a novel.”

7. repression Repression - Keeping anxiety-producing thoughts out of the conscious mind. The most basic defense mechanism Repression is an attempt by the ego to keep undesirable id impulses from reaching consciousness. E.g. in analysis of dreams… Repression may sometimes takes a life long course. E.g. a young girl may permanently repress her hostility for a younger sister because her hateful feelings create too much anxiety. So, what happens to these impulses when they become unconscious? First, the impulses may remain unchanged in the unconscious. Second, they could force themselves into consciousness in an undisguised form, thus creating more anxiety than one can handle. Third, they are expressed in displaced or disguised form.e.g . physical symptoms Repressed drives find outlet in dreams, slips of tongue, or other defense mechanisms

8. Reaction formation Reaction Formation - Replacing an unacceptable wish with its opposite. The conversion of an undesirable impulse into its opposite is called reaction formation. Reactive behavior can be identified by its exaggerated character and by its obsessive and compulsive form. An example would be of a woman who deeply resents and hates her mother. But society demands love and affection towards parents, such conscious hatred would produce too much anxiety. To avoid painful anxiety, the young woman concentrates on the opposite impulse i.e. love. However that ‘love’ is not genuine. It is showy, exaggerated and overdone. Another example would be a man who hates his wife and yet is exceedingly kind to her. He could be said to be killing her with kindness. What you do: In defense against the threatening impulse, express the opposite impulse. Examples: Someone frightens you so you act super nice Someone frightens you so you snub them The sex offender becomes the great protector of society. Problems: False persona

9. displacement In displacement, people can redirect their unacceptable urges onto a variety of people or objects to disguise or conceal the original impulse. For example, a woman who is angry at her roommate may displace her anger onto her employees, her pet or stuffed animals. She remains friendly to her roommate , but unlike reaction formation, she does not exaggerate or overdo her friendliness. Freud also used displacement to refer to the replacement of one neurotic symptom to another e.g. a compulsive urge to masturbate maybe replaced by compulsive hand washing Displacement is also involved in dream formation. E.g. dreamers destructive urges toward a parent are placed onto a dog or a wolf. In this event, a dog hit by a car might reflect the dreamers unconscious wish to see the parent destroyed. Feeling: anxiety anger What you do: Direct the feeling away from its actual target to another, safer target

10. regression A movement from mature behavior to immature behavior. When ego is threatened, the person may revert to an earlier, more infantile form of behavior as means of coping with stress. Quiet common and readily visible in children. For example, a 6 years old boy might start sucking the thumb or clinging to his mother for the first day of school. A common way for adults to react to anxiety-producing situations is to revert to an earlier, safer, more secure patterns of behavior and to invest their libido onto more primitive and familiar objects. A woman who learns that she has not been promoted to a higher-paying job in the company may storm into her supervisor's office and throws a temper tantrum. Revert back to behavior of an earlier stage Use childhood coping mechanisms Examples: Temper tantrums, swearing, fighting, sulking, crying Problems: Does not solve the problem People think you are immature You are not learning to cope well A man who is having marital difficulties may leave the home he shares with his wife and move back to his parents house. Remaining all day in bed, well covered from cold and threatening world. An adult may adopt the fetal position. Regressive behavior is similar to fixated behavior i.e. rigid and infantile. However, regressions are usually temporary, whereas fixations demand a more or less permanent expenditure of psychic energy.

11. projection When an internal impulse provokes too much anxiety, the ego may reduce that anxiety by attributing the unwanted impulse to an external object, usually another person. Projection is seeing in others unacceptable feelings or tendencies that actually reside in ones own unconscious. Example of a man who consistently interpret the actions of an older woman as attempted seductions. Unconsciously there is a strong erotic attraction of the man towards that woman of an older age. This young man deludes himself into believing that he has no sexual feelings for this older woman. Although this projection erases most of his anxiety and guilt, it permits him to maintain a sexual interest in woman who remind him of his mother. A girl who hates her mother may be convinced that her mother hates her. A student who cheats on cheat on examinations may continually asserts that other students received higher grades because they cheated. What you do: Attribute your own undesirable impulses, feeling, or desires to another person Examples: “I hate her” really means “I think she hates me” Problems: Misperceive the other person’s motivations Don’t deal with your own feelings Overreaction

12. introjection In introjection , people incorporate positive qualities of another person into their own ego. For example, an adolescent may introject or adopt the mannerisms , values, or lifestyle of a movie star. Such introjection gives the adolescent an inflated sense of self worth and keeps feelings of inferiority to a minimum. People introject those characteristics that they see as valuable and that will permit them to feel better about themselves. Resolution of Oedipus complex- where a child introjects authority and values of father. People of any age can reduce the anxiety associated with feelings of inadequacy by adopting or introjecting the values, beliefs and mannerisms of other people.

13. sublimation This is a form of displacement in which unacceptable id impulses themselves are transformed, rather than the object at which they aim. The unacceptable impulses are displayed by ones that are socially acceptable. The sublimated aim is expressed most obviously in creative cultural accomplishments such as art, music, and literature. For example, according to Freud the great artist Michelangelo found an indirect outlet for his libido in painting and sculpting, an excellent example of sublimation. A woman with a strong need for aggression may channel her energies into activities that are socially acceptable like becoming a high powered business executive, an outstanding scientist, or a first rate novelist. By doing so, she can demonstrate her superiority and domination of others but in a way that contributes to society. Channelize your aggressive energies into positive ones. For example Poetry Sports surgeon

14. denial A persons refusal to perceive an unpleasant event in external reality. In adults, the use of denial maybe normal during times of extreme stress. For example, we may indulge in denial when we are told of a death of a loved one. Our disbelief allows us to cope with the shock and to assimilate it in a more gradual and less painful manner. However if denial is prolonged then the behavior becomes pathological. Ego feels anxiety from perception of strong external or internal danger it can’t escape or deal with directly What you do: Tell yourself it is not happening Tell yourself it is not your fault Conscious denial

15. rationalization It is the justification of behavior through the use of excuses. For example, a young athlete , dropped from the team because of lack of ability, comes to the conclusion that he did not really want to be on the team in the first place because its going to loose so many games. What you do: Make up excuses for inadequacies, failure, or loss Examples: If I had wanted to try hard, I could have done it too. If my friend were more understanding, I wouldn’t have to loose my temper. If I wanted to I could have a body like his/hers. If I had better teachers, I would have gotten higher grades. Problems: Energy would be better spent on improving. The truth catches up with you.

16. Thankyou !