Defence mechanisms to refer to unconscious processes that defend a person against anxiety

Freud used the term defence mechanisms to refer to unconscious processes that defend a person against anxiety; they protect against external threats or against internal anxiety-arousing impulses by distorting reality in some way. Defence mechanisms do not alter the objective conditions of danger; they simply change the way the person thinks about it. The all involve an element of self-deception.

Defence mechanisms differ in the extent of distortion or self-deception involved and in the source of danger they ward off. The most primitive defence against external threat is denial of reality-the individual tries to block out disturbing realities by refusing to acknowledge them.

The mother of a child who is ratally ill may refuse to admit that there is anything wrong even though, she is fully informed of the diagnosis and expected outcome. Because, she cannot tolerate the pain that acknowledging reality would produce, she resorts to the defense mechanism of denial, at least for a while. Less extreme forms of denial may be seen in individuals who consistently ignore criticism or fail to perceive that others are angry with term.

The most primitive defense against internal threat is repression-impulses or memories that are too threatening are excluded from conscious awareness. Freud believed that repression of certain childhood impulses is universal.

For example, he maintained that all young boys have feelings of sexual attraction toward the mother and feelings of rivalry and hostility toward the father (the Oedipus complex); these impulses are repressed to avoid the painful consequences of acting upon them. In later life feelings and memories that would cause anxiety because, they are inconsistent with one’s self-concept may be repressed. Feelings of hostility toward a loved one and experience of failure may be banished from memory.

Freud viewed repression as the underlying process upon which the other defence mechanisms are built. All defence mechanisms attempt to keep thoughts or impulses out of awareness but, they employ additional means to make the inhibition more secure. For example, in the defence mechanism called projection one’s now undesirable impulses are attributed to other people thus, making doubly certain they will not be recorgnized as our own.

A number of defence mechanisms have been proposed but, there is no agreement on a list of “basic” defence mechanisms or on the psychological processes involved. We will present some of those considered most important In the discussion of defence mechanisms that follows, three precautions should be kept in mind.

1. Defence mechanisms are psychological constructs inferred from observations of the way people behave. They are useful ways of summarizing what we think is going on when we observe behavior. But, although, some of the mechanisms are supported by experimental evidence, others have little scientific verification.

2. Labeling a person’s behavior (e.g., as projection, rationalization, or repression) may provide useful descriptive information but, it is not an explanation of the behavior. A full explanation requires understanding the needs that cause the person to rely on defence mechanisms in dealing with problems.

3. All the mechanisms are to be found in the everyday behavior of normal people. Used in moderation, they increases satisfaction in living and are therefore, helpful modes of adjustment. It is only when the mechanisms become the dominant modes of problem-solving that they indicate personality maladjustment.