Introduction to Psychology

Assignment

Instructions:

You’ve learned about defense mechanisms proposed by Sigmund Freud in Lesson 05.
You are advised to go through the lesson, read the scenarios given below and identify
the correct defense mechanism for each scenario in the respective column and justify
your choice as well.

Assignment Objective:

After attempting this assignment, the students will develop a thorough understanding
regarding the defense mechanisms given by Freud and how people use them in their
daily lives.

Scenario Identification Justification

Saqib smokes a full pack Saqib follows defense

of cigarettes every day.
Smoking a cigarette is the
first thing which he does
after waking up in the
morning. His wife has
confronted him several
times and asked him to
leave this addiction.
However, Saqib believes
that he has not yet
developed an addiction.
mechanism of denial
because he has refused to
acknowledge or accept
anxiety provoking thoughts
Denial or impulses as being a
addicted chain smoker he
says that he has not yet
developed smoking
addiction.

Amir follows defense

Amir was beaten by his
mother every day when he
was a small child.
However, Amir, when he
grew up, reported having
no memory of being
beaten by his mother at all.
mechanism of repression
because he has blocked
unpleasant and
Repression unacceptable thoughts by
pushing them into the
unconscious by forgetting
that he was beaten up by
his mother in the past
when he was a child.
 Scenario
Usman appeared for a
test for selection in
Armed Forces. He failed
the test and was not
selected. After failing the
test, he tried to start a
business and said that
he was not interested in
joining the Army
anyways and wanted to
become an entrepreneur
in the first place.
Urwa was driving he car on
the road. She was caught
by a traffic warden on a
signal and was served a
challan for 300 Rupees.
She was angry at the
warden but did not say
anything. However, later
on when she reached
home, she yelled at her
son.
Suman made a mistake
which made her father
angry and he yelled at her.
Suman felt bad, went to
her room and lied down on
her bed and started
sucking her thumb.
Identification Justification
Usman follows defense
mechanism of
rationalization because in
order to justify his behavior
(i.e. failing the Army test
and starting a business) he
Rationalization develops a socially
acceptable explanation or
reasoning (i.e. saying that
he was not interested in
joining the Army and
wanted to become an
entrepreneur in first place).
Urwa follows defense
mechanism of
displacement because she
redirected the expressions
of unwanted desires or
Displacement impulses to a substitute
rather than the actual
target as being angry at
the warden she expressed
angriness on her son by
yelling at him eventhough
it was not his son’s fault.
Suman follows defense
mechanism of regression
because she reverted back
Regression to a stage that was
satisfying ( i.e. sucking her
thumb ).