Question

Instructions: Each of the following scenarios illustrates one of Freud’s defense mechanisms from the list below. Read each case and identify the defense mechanism. It is possible some scenarios have more than one answer, in this case you need only indicate one choice.

Displacement / Projection / Rationalization / Reaction Formation / Regression / Repression / Sublimation / Denial

E. Serika notices that her 7-year-old son likes to pull wings off flies, jab pins in the cat, and trap mice so he can cut off their tails. Serika tells herself that her son has a great future in medicine. What defense is Serika using?

F. Eric received a “fair” grade on a paper he worked very hard to complete and was quite proud of. After school, he picks a fight with his sister, calls her a jerk, and tells her she’s “stupid.” What defense is Eric using?

G. Emmanuel’s mother has been very busy taking on extra projects at work. She frequently works late or brings the projects home to complete at night. Despite the fact that he is 8 years old, Emmanuel has been sucking his thumb and wetting the bed. What defense is Emmanuel using?

H. Georgia was extremely close to her grandfather. He died unexpectedly last year and though Georgia attended all the funeral services, she does not remember any of events that took place for those three days. What defense is Georgia using?

Answer 1

Defense Mechanisms

Displacement- This defense is used to satisfy the id or impulse by substituting it with another object

Projection- This defense involves the attribution of one's unacceptable wishes, wants, and desires to others.

Rationalization- This defense mechanism is used to justify or rationalize one's feelings and behavior by providing logic and explanations avoiding the truth.

Reaction Formation - This defense is used to go beyond denial and behaving in exactly the opposite kind of behavior to which the person thinks and feels about it.

Regression- This defense is used to go back psychologically in time whenever the person is faced with a lot of stress

Repression- This defense is used to push down the feelings or thoughts from coming into the consciousness of a person

Sublimation- The defense is used to satisfy one's id impulse by engaging in socially accepted behavior and channelizing it to something more productive and socially approved

Denial- The defense is used to deny the existence of a problem or issue whenever the issue is too overwhelming for the person

E. Serika notices that her 7-year-old son likes to pull wings off flies, jab pins in the cat, and trap mice so he can cut off their tails. Serika tells herself that her son has a great future in medicine. What defense is Serika using?

Serika is trying to justify her son's behavior and engaging in RATIONALIZATION

F. Eric received a “fair” grade on a paper he worked very hard to complete and was quite proud of. After school, he picks a fight with his sister, calls her a jerk, and tells her she’s “stupid.” What defense is Eric using? - HE tries to displace his anger and disappointment on his sister, DISPLACEMENT

G. Emmanuel’s mother has been very busy taking on extra projects at work. She frequently works late or brings the projects home to complete at night. Despite the fact that he is 8 years old, Emmanuel has been sucking his thumb and wetting the bed. What defense is Emmanuel using? - The boy is stressed since his mother is unable to take care of him properly and is using the defense of REGRESSION

H. Georgia was extremely close to her grandfather. He died unexpectedly last year and though Georgia attended all the funeral services, she does not remember any of the events that took place for those three days. What defense is Georgia using? She does not remember anything because she does not want to deal with the death of her grandfather so she is is DENIAL