Introduction

INTRODUCTION

Defense Mechanisms

"Automatic psychological processes that protect the individual against anxiety and from awareness of internal or external dangers or stressors" (American Psychological Association, 1994, p.751)

History

Sigmund Freud

Psychoanalytic concept

The Ego (common sense or reason)

The Id (sexual instinct and death instinct [aggression])

The Superego (conscience)

How defense mechanisms are employed:

1. A psychic conflict occurs between the ego and the id when the id attempts to express its instinctual impulses.

2. If the conflicts persists, the individual feels unpleasant emotion called anxiety.

3. The ego tries to solve the situation by employing defense mechanisms or coping stragedies.

What happens:

The ego allows the id to express itself.

The ego changes the nature of the id and make it more permissible to the superego.

The ego keeps threatening ideas and emotions out of the conscious.

The ego prevents the individual from experiencing anxiety.

Characteristics of Freud's theory

1. Defense is an unconscious process

2. Repression is a central aspect of defense mechanisms

3. Defense is pathological

4. Origin is in childhood

Anna Freud

Argued that instinctual impulses such as aggression can be a veihcle for personal growth

George Vaillant: Criticisms of Freud

	Defense mechanisms can be both pathological and adaptive
	Psychic conflicts are not limited to sex and aggression, but grief, dependency, and joy.
	Sources of conflicts are not only internal but also external
	Not all defenses are originated in the past.
	Defense mechanisms can be differentiated from each other and categorized

Types of Defense Mechanisms as identified by the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ)

1. MALADAPTIVE DEFENSE MECHANISMS

ACTING OUT	INHIBITION	PASSIVE AGGRESSION
PROJECTION	REGRESSION	WITHDRAWAL

2. IMAGE-DISTORTING DEFENSE MECHANISMS

OMNIPOTENCE-DEVALUATION

PRIMITIVE-IDEALIZATION

SPLITTING

3. SELF-SACRIFICING DEFENSE MECHANOSMS

PSEUDOALTRUISM

REACTION FORMATION

4. ADAPTIVE DEFENSE MECHANISMS

HUMOR

SUBLIMATION

SUPPRESSION

Defense Mechanisms and Personality Disorders

Defense Mechanisms are a useful guide in identifying psychological processes behind people who have personality disorders.

Maladaptive defense mechanisms are associated with personality disorders, whereas adaptive defense mechanisms are associated with psychological well-beings (Vaillant & Drake, 1985).

Gould et al. (1996) found that there was a high positive correlation between a measure of splitting and three measures of borderline disorder.

Devens and Erickson (1998), using Bond's DSQ, found that high scores on Maladaptive Defense Factor are significantly predictive of borderline personality disorders.

The Purpose of the Study

What if we can identify specific types of defense mechanisms in certain personality disorders?

Dependent Personality Disorders

Submission, Indecision, Fear of loosing support, Seeking overprotection from others, and Difficulty expressing disagreement.

Devaluation of self, Reaction formation, Repression, and Idealization of others

If we can identify the link between specific typyes of defense mechanisms and certain personality disrders, it will provide clues for underlying psychological phenomena, deepen our understanding of the way people with personality disorders deal with everyday situations, and help creating appropriate inverventions.

What if defense mechanisms are not stable, but are subject to change?

Segal et al. (1998) found that older adults were less likely to employ maladaptive coping strategies such as mental disengagingement, venting of emotions, denial, and substance use than younger adults were.

If aging is related to more adaptive defense mechanisms, it may prove that defense mechanisms can be changed.

INTRODUCTION

Defense Mechanisms

"Automatic psychological processes that protect the individual against anxiety and from awareness of internal or external dangers or stressors" (American Psychological Association, 1994, p.751)

History

Sigmund Freud

Psychoanalytic concept

The Ego (common sense or reason)

The Id (sexual instinct and death instinct [aggression])

The Superego (conscience)

How defense mechanisms are employed:

1. A psychic conflict occurs between the ego and the id when the id attempts to express its instinctual impulses.

2. If the conflicts persists, the individual feels unpleasant emotion called anxiety.

3. The ego tries to solve the situation by employing defense mechanisms or coping stragedies.

What happens:

The ego allows the id to express itself.

The ego changes the nature of the id and make it more permissible to the superego.

The ego keeps threatening ideas and emotions out of the conscious.

The ego prevents the individual from experiencing anxiety.

Characteristics of Freud's theory

1. Defense is an unconscious process

2. Repression is a central aspect of defense mechanisms

3. Defense is pathological

4. Origin is in childhood

Anna Freud

Argued that instinctual impulses such as aggression can be a veihcle for personal growth

George Vaillant: Criticisms of Freud

Defense mechanisms can be both pathological and adaptive

Psychic conflicts are not limited to sex and aggression, but grief, dependency, and joy.

Sources of conflicts are not only internal but also external

Not all defenses are originated in the past.

Defense mechanisms can be differentiated from each other and categorized