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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.
Verbal self-defense. Verbal self-defense or verbal aikido is the art of using one's words to prevent, de-escalate, or end an attempted verbal or physical assault. [1] It is a way of using words to maintain mental and emotional safety. This kind of "conflict management" involves using posture and body language, tone of voice, and choice of words ...
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 ...
Externalization (psychology) Externalization is a term used in psychoanalytic theory which describes the tendency to project one's internal states onto the outside world. It is generally regarded as an unconscious defense mechanism, thus the person is unaware they are doing it. Externalization takes on a different meaning in narrative therapy ...
Originally, Freud used the word ego to mean the sense of self, but later expanded it to include psychic functions such as judgment, tolerance, reality testing, control, planning, defense, synthesis of information, intellectual functioning, and memory. The ego is the organizing principle upon which thoughts and interpretations of the world are ...
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 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. It is one of several defense mechanisms ...
Reaction formation. In psychoanalytic theory, reaction formation ( German: Reaktionsbildung) is a defense mechanism in which emotions, desires and impulses that are anxiety -producing or unacceptable to the ego are mastered by exaggeration of the directly opposing tendency. [1]