WHENEVER THE

PERSON DOES
SOMETHING
WHICH IS
INCONSISTENT
WITH THE SELF-
CONCEPT,
ANXIETY IS
CREATED AND
MAY RESULT IN
DEFENSIVE
BEHAVIOR.
 FREUD NOTED
THAT THESE
MECHANISMS ARE
USED TO DEFEND
THE EGO,
I.E., TO MAINTAIN A
CONSISTENCY
REGARDING WHAT
IS REAL.
MOTIVES FOR ADJUSTMENT

1. HIS GOAL-
DIRECTED
BEHAVIOR IS
BLOCKED; HE
GETS
FRUSTRATED.
MOTIVES FOR ADJUSTMENT

2. THERE IS A
CONFLICT
BETWEEN
MOTIVES.
MOTIVES FOR ADJUSTMENT

3. THERE IS AN
INCREASE IN
INTENSITY OF
A MOTIVE.
KINDS OF ADJUSTMENT
MECHANISMS
1. REPRESSION
THE DISMISSAL FROM
CONSCIOUSNESS OF A
THOUGHT OR FEELING
WHICK IS TOO PAINFUL
TO EXPERIENCE OR
RECALL

THE REPRESSED
THOUGHTS
MAY EMERGE
INTO SYMBOLIC
DREAM OR
UNEXPLAINED
BEHAVIOR
1. REPRESSION
EXAMPLE:

1. EXPERIENCES WHEN
DESCRIBED WERE
PREDOMINANTLY
PLEASANT ONES,
1. REPRESSION
EXAMPLE:

1. EXPERIENCES WHEN
DESCRIBED WERE
PREDOMINANTLY
PLEASANT ONES,
KEEPING THE
UNPLEASANT
ONES IN
OURSELVES
1. REPRESSION
EXAMPLE:

1. EXPERIENCES WHEN
DESCRIBED WERE
PREDOMINANTLY
PLEASANT ONES,
KEEPING THE
UNPLEASANT
ONES IN
OURSELVES
2. SLIPS OF THE TONGUE
REVEALS OUR TRUE
(REPRESSED) MOTIVES.
2. PROJECTION
MISATTRIBUTION OF
UNDESIRABLE AND
UNACCEPTABLE
THOUGHTS OR
FEELINGS INTO
ANOTHER PERSON

WE BELIEVE THAT
SOMEONE WHOM
WE DISLIKE DOES
NOT LIKE US
2. PROJECTION
THIS IS BELIEVED
TO BE THE
DEFENSE
MECHANISM OF
THE PARANOID
INDIVIDUAL WHO
BELIEVES THAT
OTHERS ARE
SEEKING TO
INJURE HIM WHEN
ACTUALLY HE HAS
INJURIOUS
THOUGHTS
TOWARD THEM.
2. PROJECTION
EXAMPLE:

A SPOUSE
ANGRY AT
SIGNIFICANT
OTHER FOR NOT
LISTENING,
WHEN IN FACT,
IT IS sHE WHO IS
NOT LISTENING
3. IDENTIFICATION
THE DEFENSE
MECHANISM BY
WHICH AN
INDIVIDUAL
ENHANCES SELF-
ESTEEM BY
BEHAVING IN
FANTASY
OR IN ACTUAL
CONDUCT AS IF HE
WERE ANOTHER
PERSON
3. IDENTIFICATION IN CHILDREN,
IDENTIFICATION IS A
NORMAL PART OF
GROWING UP, AS IN
TRYING TO BE LIKE
SUPERHEROES

IN AN ADULT WITH
ESTABLISHED LIFE
PATTERNS, THIS IS A
COVER UP FOR
UNEXPRESSED
MOTIVES
3. IDENTIFICATION ONE MAY LEARN
NEW WAYS OF
BEHAVING BY
ASSUMING PARTS
OF THE OBSERVED
ROLE OF OTHERS

BY ACTING AND
BEHAVING LIKE A
DISLIKED PERSON,
ONE COMES TO SEE
AND UNDERSTAND
SOMETHING ABOUT
THAT PERSON
4. REACTION FORMATION
THE CONCEILING OF
MOTIVE BY GIVING
STRONG EXPRESSION
TO THE OPPOSITE
ACTING IN THE
OPPOSITE WAY TO
DISTURBING THOUGHTS
OR FEELINGS

EXAMPLE: INSTEAD OF
EXPRESSING LOVE TO
ANOTHER PERSON,
ONE MAY SHOW
HOSTILITY
4. REACTION FORMATION
GENUINE EXPRESSIONS
OF AN IMPULSE ARE NOT
USUALLY SO EXTREME OR
COMPULSIVE. THIS IS
WHY, PEOPLE WHO
PRAISE US EXCESSIVELY
OR PROFESS LOYALTY OR
AFFECTION FOR US IN
EXCESSIVE TERMS, WE
INTUITIVELY DISTRUST.
5. RATIONALIZATION
JUSTIFICATION OF
UNWANTED
FEELINGS OR
BEHAVIOR IN A
SEEMINGLY
LOGICAL MANNER

THE EXCUSES ARE

MADE UP TO HIDE
OR DISGUISE THE
TRUE MOTIVE
5. RATIONALIZATION
SOUR GRAPE
MECHANISM:
PRETENDING TO DISLIKE
WHAT ONE REALLY
LIKES.

EXAMPLE: A
LADY AFTER
BREAKUP
SAYING THE
GUY IS UGLY
ANYWAY
5. RATIONALIZATION
SWEET LEMON
MECHANISM:
PRETENDING TO
LIKE WHAT ONE
REALLY DISLIKE

EXAMPLE: STAYING
IN YOUR MOST
HATED JOB FOR
YOUR TEAMMATES
6. SUBLIMATION
ALSO KNOWN AS
SUBSTITUTION OR
COMPENSATION

REDIRECTING OF
ENERGY OR
IMPULSE (E.G.
AGGRESSION) TO
MORE PRODUCTIVE
AND ACCEPTABLE
BEHAVIOR
6. SUBLIMATION
EXAMPLE:

THE FRUSTRATION
OF A PERSON CAN
BE RELEASED IN
PUNCHING BAG

A FORMER
HOODLUM BECAME
A POLICE OFFICER
AND STARTED
HUNTING DOWN
CRIMINALS
7. INTELLECTUALIZATION

A DETACHMENT
FROM A
THREATENING EVENT
IN ORDER TO
REMAIN
UNTOUCHED BY IT
EMOTIONALLY.
7. INTELLECTUALIZATION

THIS IS EXEMPLIFIED
IN PROFESSIONALS
WHOSE JOB IS TO
DEAL WITH
UNCONVENTIONAL
AND DISTURBING
EXPERIENCES
8. WITHDRAWAL AND ESCAPE
RESPONSES

LEAVING THE
PRESENCE OF
STRESSOR EITHER
LITERALLY OR
PSYCHOLOGICAL
LY INTO FANTASY
8. WITHDRAWAL AND ESCAPE
RESPONSES
ONE FORM OF
WITHDRAWAL IS
NEGATIVISM
CHARACTERIZED
BY A PURPOSEFUL
REBELLION
AGAINST REQUEST
OR WISHES OF
OTHERS
ADVANTAGES
1.THEY HELP US
MEET THE
ANXIETY-
CREATING
SITUATIONS
IMEDIATELY AND
ALLOW US TIME
TO GATHER
STRENGTH TO
MEET THEM MORE
DIRECTLY AT A
LATER TIME.
ADVANTAGES
2. ONE MAY
LEARN NEW
WAYS OF
BEHAVING BY
ASSUMING
PARTS OF THE
OBSERVED
ROLE OF
OTHERS AS IN
IDENTIFICATION.
ADVANTAGES

3. IT MAT LEAD TO
A MORE
CONSISTENT AND
VALUABLE VIEW OF
ONES SELF.
ADVANTAGES

4. THE RESULTANT
BEHAVIOR MAY
HAVE A POTENTIAL
VALUE AS IN
SUBLIMATION.
DISADVANTAGES
1. DEFENSE
MECHANISMS
USUALLY WORK TO
CIRCUMVENT
PROBLEMS RATHER
THAN TO FACE
THEM DIRECTLY;
HENCE, THEY
BECOME SELF
DECEIVING.
DISADVANTAGES

2. THE
EXCESSIVE USE
MAY LEAD TO
GREATER
PERSONAL OR
SOCIAL
DIFFICULTY.
DISADVANTAGES

3. THE ROLES
ADOPTED MAY
REMAIN
UNREALISTIC AS
IN IDENTIFICATION
OR WORK
THROUGH THE
EXPLOITS OF
OTHERS AS IN
COMPENSATION
DISADVANTAGES
4. THEY DO NOT
GENERALLY
SOLVE THE
PROBLEM WHICH
REQUIRES THEIR
USE AND
THEREFORE ARE
NOT FULLY
TENSION-
REDUCING.
THANK YOU