Psychology · Ch 2 — Self and Personality
Ego Defence Mechanisms
Ego Defence Mechanisms
The Purpose of Defence Mechanisms
Freud argued that much of human behaviour is driven by the need to deal with or escape from anxiety. The ego, caught between the demands of the id, the superego, and external reality, uses specific strategies to protect itself. These are called ego defence mechanisms.
A defence mechanism is a way of reducing anxiety by distorting reality. The person is usually unaware they are using one. Some use of defence mechanisms is normal and even adaptive — it helps us cope with stress. However, when a person relies on them so heavily that reality becomes truly distorted, it leads to maladjustment and psychological problems.
The Major Defence Mechanisms
Freud described several key defence mechanisms. The most important one is repression, but there are four others that are equally significant.
Repression is the foundation of all other defence mechanisms. In repression, anxiety-provoking thoughts, feelings, or memories are completely dismissed from conscious awareness and pushed into the unconscious. The person becomes totally unaware of the repressed wish or desire. For example, when someone says, “I do not know why I did that,” a repressed feeling or desire may be expressing itself through the action.
The other major defence mechanisms are:
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Projection: The person attributes their own unacceptable traits, feelings, or impulses to someone else. For instance, a person with strong aggressive tendencies may see other people as acting in an excessively aggressive way towards them. The person’s own aggression is projected outward.
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Denial: The person totally refuses to accept reality, even when faced with clear evidence. For example, someone suffering from HIV/AIDS may altogether deny their illness. This is a more primitive mechanism than repression.
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Reaction Formation: The person defends against anxiety by adopting behaviours that are the exact opposite of their true feelings. A classic example is a person with strong sexual urges who channels all their energy into religious fervour. The outward behaviour directly contradicts the inner impulse.
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Rationalisation: The person tries to make unreasonable feelings or behaviour seem reasonable and acceptable. For example, a student who buys a set of new pens after doing poorly in an examination may rationalise by saying, “I will do much better with these pens.” The real reason (poor preparation) is replaced with a more acceptable one.
Key Features of Defence Mechanisms
- People who use defence mechanisms are often unaware of doing so. …