Defense Mechanism
Definition and Overview
A defense mechanism is a psychological strategy that is unconsciously used to protect a person from anxiety arising from unacceptable thoughts or feelings. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, was one of the first to propose the concept of defense mechanisms. Later, his daughter Anna Freud elaborated on the idea and categorized the mechanisms into several types.
History and Development
The concept of defense mechanisms was initially proposed by Sigmund Freud during his career as a psychoanalyst. Freud believed that the human mind was divided into three components: the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is responsible for our basic instincts and drives, while the superego represents our moral conscience. The ego, caught in the middle, often has to cope with conflicts between the id and the superego. Freud suggested that the ego employs certain strategies, or defense mechanisms, to manage this conflict and avoid feelings of anxiety and guilt.
Later, Anna Freud expanded on her father's theories and classified the defense mechanisms into several categories. She proposed that these mechanisms are not pathological in themselves, but can become so if overused. Other psychologists, such as George Eman Vaillant, further developed the classification of defense mechanisms and proposed a hierarchical arrangement based on their adaptiveness.
Types of Defense Mechanisms
There are many types of defense mechanisms. Some of the most commonly recognized ones include:
Repression
Repression is the unconscious blocking of unacceptable thoughts, feelings and impulses. The key to repression is that people do it unconsciously, so they often have very little control over it.
Denial
Denial is the refusal to accept reality or fact, acting as if a painful event, thought or feeling did not exist. It is considered one of the most primitive of the defense mechanisms because it is characteristic of early childhood development.
Projection
Projection involves individuals attributing their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings and motives to another person. Thoughts most commonly projected onto another are ones that would cause guilt such as aggressive and sexual fantasies or thoughts.
Displacement
Displacement is the redirection of an impulse onto a substitute target. If the impulse, the desire to hit someone, is repressed, the energy can be displaced onto a substitute target, and the person may then hit something or someone else.
Regression
Regression involves returning to an earlier stage of development and abandoned forms of gratification. An individual may regress when under a great deal of stress, returning to behaviors usually seen in only children.
Sublimation
Sublimation is the channeling of unacceptable impulses, thoughts and emotions into more acceptable ones. For instance, when a person has sexual impulses they would like not to act upon, they may instead focus on rigorous exercise.
Defense Mechanisms in Psychoanalytic Theory
In psychoanalytic theory, defense mechanisms are seen as a key component in how the ego manages conflict between the id and the superego. They are thought to protect the mind against feelings of anxiety and guilt. However, defense mechanisms can also distort reality and create problems in relationships, work, and other areas of life if they are overused.
Defense Mechanisms and Mental Health
While defense mechanisms are a normal part of psychological functioning, they can also play a role in mental health disorders. For example, people with borderline personality disorder often use defense mechanisms such as splitting, in which they view others as all good or all bad. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder may use reaction formation, doing the opposite of what they really want to do, to deal with their intrusive thoughts.
Conclusion
Defense mechanisms are a crucial part of our psychological makeup. They help us manage conflict, avoid feelings of anxiety and guilt, and navigate our complex social world. However, when overused, they can lead to problems in various areas of life. Understanding these mechanisms can provide valuable insight into our own behavior and the behavior of others.