DEFENSE MECHANISM- a largely unconscious way oI reducing anxiety by distorting reality.

It allows the ego to deal with the uncomIortable Ieelings anxiety produces. In order to maintain a
sense oI consistency it becomes necessary to distort reality or deny experiences.

KINDS OF DEFENSE MECHANISM
REFRESSION- people block anxiety provoking Ieelings Irom conscious awareness and push
them into the unconscious. When the people repress a Ieeling or desire, they become unaware oI
it.
PRO1ECTION- people attribute to other people their own undesirable traits. This is believe to
be a deIense mechanism oI a paranoid individual who believes that other are seeking to injure
him when actually he has injurious thoughts toward them.
REACTION FORMATION- people behave in a manner opposite their true but anxiety
provoking Ieelings. In the reaction Iormation, inIerence is made on the basis oI excessiveness oI
the aIIirmation or denial.
SUBLIMATION- people redirect or rechanneled socially unacceptable impulses into acceptable
ones. The unconscious process oI the libido or the sex instinct is transIormed into a more
acceptable Iorm as artistic, social work, scientiIic, religious activities and the like.
RATIONALIZATION- a person tries to reinterpret undesirable traits/ behavior to make it
appear acceptable. It is also process oI justiIying one`s conduct by oIIering plausible or socially
acceptable reason in place oI real reason.
FORMS OF RATIONALIZATON
Sour- grapes mechanism- pretending to dislike what one really likes
Sweet lemon mechanism-pretending to like what one really dislikes
IDENTIFICATION- individual enhances selI esteem by behaving or in actual conduct as iI he
were another person- the one with whom he identiIies. It could be a process by which a person
becomes ego- involved with other persons or things.
INTELLECTUALIZATION- person gains detachment Irom a threatening event in order to
remain untouched by it emotionally. An emotional event is dealt with in analytic, intellectual
term as iI it where something to study or be merely curious about rather than to be emotionally
involved about.
ITHDRAAL or ESCAPE RESPONSES- characterized by a purposeIul rebellion against
request or wishes oI others. Regressive tendencies, withdrawing Irom earlier rewarding situation
and behavior ones deemed appropriate, are attempts at escaping in reality.
DENIAL- people reIuse to accept the true source oI their anxiety.


ADVANTAGES OF DEFENSE MECHANISM
1. They help us meet the anxiety- creating situation immediately and allow us time to
gather strength to meet them more directly at later time.
2. One may learn new ways oI behaving by assuming parts oI observe rules oI others.
3. It may lead to a more consistent and valuable view oI oneselI.
4. The resultant behavior may have a potential value as in sublimation
DISADVANTAGES OF DEFENSE MECHANISM
1. &sually work to circumvent problems rather than to Iace them directly.
2. Their excessive use may lead to greater personal or social diIIiculty.
3. The role adopted may remain unrealistic as in identiIication or work through the
exploit oI others as in compensation .
4. They do not generally solve the problem which requires their use and there Ior are not
Iully tension- reducing.




Prepared by:
JAMESON R. SORIANO
BSCE- II