Mental mechanisms

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1. Mental Mechanisms MISS. KALYANI R. SAUDAGAR

2. Every individual has devices for protecting himself against psychological dangers and distress. These protective devices are known as ego defenses or defense mechanisms or mental mechanisms. Both well-adjusted and maladjusted individuals make use of these mechanisms in their daily behavior. While well-adjusted individuals use them sparingly and in socially desirable ways, maladjusted individuals including psychotics and neurotics, use them frequently and Inappropriately. Some of the commonly used mental mechanisms are: Repression : It is a process of unconscious forgetfulness of unpleasant and conflict producing emotions. Rationalization : It is a defense mechanism in which an individual justifies his failures and socially unacceptable behavior by giving socially approved reasons. For example, a student who fails in the examination may complain that the hostel atmosphere is not favorable and has resulted in his failure to get through. Intellectualization : Focusing of attention on technical or logical aspects of a threatening situation. For example, a wife describes the details of the nurse's unsuccessful attempts to prevent the death of her husband. Compensation : Attempting to overcome feelings of inferiority or make up for a deficiency. For example, a student who fails in his studies may compensate by becoming the college champion in athletics. Substitution : A mechanism in which original goals are substituted by others. For example, a student who has not been accepted for admission in a medical college may satisfy herself by becoming a nurse. Sublimation: Unconscious gradual channelization of unacceptable impulses into personally satisfying and socially valuable behavioral pattern. For example, a hostile young man who enjoys fighting becomes a football player. Suppression: Suppression is an intentional pushing away from awareness of certain unwelcome ideas , memories or feelings. For example, a student consciously decides not to think about her weekend so that she can study effectively . Reaction formation: Unconscious transformation of unacceptable impulses into exactly opposite attitudes , impulses, feelings or behaviors, i.e. unacceptable real feelings are repressed and acceptable opposite feelings are expressed. For example, a young man with homosexual feelings, which he finds to be threatening, engages in excessive heterosexual activities.

3. Displacement: Unconscious shifting of emotions usually aroused by perceived threat from an unconscious impulse, to a less threatening external object which is then felt to be the source of threat. For example, a person who is angry with his boss, but cannot show it for fear of losing the job may fight with his wife and children on return from the office. Denial: Refusal to acceptor believe in the existence of something that is very unpleasant. For example, an addict takes alcohol everyday and he cannot think of a day without it . However he says "I am not an addict, if I decide I can give up.“ Isolation: Separation of the idea of an unconscious impulse from its appropriate affect, thus allowing only the idea and not the associated affect to enter awareness, as in the ability to express traumatic experiences without the associated disturbing emotions, with passage of time. For example, a soldier humorously describes how he was seriously wounded in the war. Projection: Unconscious attribution of one‘ sown attitudes and urges to other persons, because of intolerance or painful affect aroused by those attitudes and urges. A person who blames another for his own mistakes is using the projection mechanism. For example, a surgeon whose patient does not respond as well as he anticipated may tend to blam the theater nurse who helped the doctor at the time of operation. Regression: Coping with present conflict or stress by returning to earlier, more secure stage of life. For example, tears, temper tantrums in adults are very effective in overcoming stress. Conversion: A mental mechanism in which has emotional conflict is expressed as a physical symptom for which there is no demonstratable organic basis.. For example, a student very anxious about his exams may develop a headache. Undoing : Unconsciously motivated acts, which magically or symbolically counteract unacceptable thoughts, impulses or acts. For example, a mother who has just lost her temper and beaten her children develops compulsive and washing hand child checking behaviors .