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Psychoanalysis. In psychoanalytic theory, a defence mechanism is an unconscious psychological operation that functions to protect a person from anxiety-producing thoughts and feelings related to internal conflicts and outer stressors. [1][2][3] According to this theory, healthy people normally use different defence mechanisms throughout life.
Rationalization (psychology) Rationalization is a defense mechanism (ego defense) in which apparent logical reasons are given to justify behavior that is motivated by unconscious instinctual impulses. [1] It is an attempt to find reasons for behaviors, especially one's own. [2] Rationalizations are used to defend against feelings of guilt ...
Isolation (psychology) Isolation (German: Isolierung) is a defence mechanism in psychoanalytic theory, first proposed by Sigmund Freud. While related to repression, the concept distinguishes itself in several ways. It is characterized as a mental process involving the creation of a gap between an unpleasant or threatening cognition and other ...
Undoing (psychology) Undoing is a defense mechanism in which a person tries to cancel out or remove an unhealthy, destructive or otherwise threatening thought or action by engaging in contrary behavior. For example, after thinking about being violent with someone, one would then be overly nice or accommodating to them.
Splitting (psychology) Splitting (also called binary thinking, black-and-white thinking, all-or-nothing thinking, or thinking in extremes) is the failure in a person's thinking to bring together the dichotomy of both perceived positive and negative qualities of something into a cohesive, realistic whole. It is a common defense mechanism [ 1 ...
Psychological projection is a defence mechanism of alterity concerning "inside" content mistaken to be coming from the "outside" Other. [1] It forms the basis of empathy by the projection of personal experiences to understand someone else's subjective world. [1] In its malignant forms, it is a defense mechanism in which the ego defends itself ...
Narcissistic defenses are among the earliest defense mechanisms to emerge, and include denial, distortion, and projection. [4] Splitting is another defense mechanism prevalent among individuals with narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder—seeing people and situations in black and white terms, either as all bad or all good.
The defense mechanisms are as follows: 1) Denial is believing that what is true is actually false 2) Displacement is taking out impulses on a less threatening target 3) Intellectualization is avoiding unacceptable emotions by focusing on the intellectual aspects 4) Projection is attributing uncomfortable feelings to others 5) Rationalization is ...