Defense mechanisms

Learning outcomes
1. Define the term frustration.
2. Explain the structure of personality as explained by
Freud.
3. Explain the concept of defense mechanism and
discuss its uses.
4. Describe the various type of defense mechanism.
5. Discuss how defense mechanisms are exhibited in
learning situation.
6. Discuss how teachers may reduce the use of
defense mechanisms among learners.
Definition of frustration
• Frustration is the effect of an individual’s inability to satisfy a
motive/need, e. g. when a child is unable to reach a toy he/she has
dropped.
• Frustration also refers disappointment due to being deprived of
something expected/desired.
• Human suffer frustration because they have numerous needs and
limited resources to satisfy their needs, hence some needs are not
satisfied.
• Prolonged frustration may be a major source of stress.
Structure of personality by Freud
• Freud’s psychoanalytic principles of personality development state
that personality has three structures: the id, ego and the superego.
The id.
-It comprises of instincts and is the reservoir of psychic energy.
-id is completely unconscious and has no contact with reality.
-It seeks pleasure and avoids pain.
-It does not tolerate tension and acts on impulse.
The ego.
-It deal with demands of reality, and guided by reality principle.
-It develops to respond to the demands and constraints of reality.
-It brings our pursuit of pleasure within the norms of reality.
Structure of personality by Freud …
The ego …
- it is partly conscious and partly unconscious.
- ego has higher mental functions: reasoning, problem solving,
decision making, etc.
- ego ensures things are working well by making rational
decisions.
The superego.
- it is concerned about whether something is right or wrong and
hence it is the moral branch of personality.
- it is concerned with whether the demands of id are moral.
- superego is partly conscious and partly unconscious.
Structure of personality by Freud …
• Superego and the id make life rough because superego is geared
towards perfection, whereas the id is bent on pleasure.
• Ego therefore has to step in and craft a deal.
• The ego is not always able to broker appropriate response to satisfy
the id and the superego, hence individual is left in a state of
frustration which causes anxiety.
• The ego does not entertain failure and tries to come up with a way to
ease or prevent such anxiety.
• One way of preventing fear is by use of defense mechanism.
Definition of defense mechanism
• It is unconscious psychological mechanism that reduces anxiety
arising from unacceptable or potentially harmful stimuli. [NB It is not
a conscious coping strategy].
• It is unconscious reaction which seeks to protect an individual from
unpleasant emotions like anxiety, guilt, loss, rejection, etc. It reduces
anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality.
• Human beings have many needs to be satisfied in order to maintain
their health and happiness. However, individuals cannot fully satisfy
their needs because of limited resources.
• Unsatisfied needs cause frustration
Uses of defense mechanism
• Used to prevent build up of uncomfortable tension.
• It serves as a sign to parents, teachers and caretakers to provide
psychological help to the individual to help the face the demands and
constraints of life.
• Used to suppress the feelings of anger and avoid exploding into acts
of aggression.
• It protects the ego from pain and hurt of day to day living and reduce
emotional discomfort.
• Prevents a person from drifting into depressive state temporarily.
• It helps and allows an individual to retain their self-esteem.
• Allows an individual time to prepare to deal with the demands,
conflicts and frustrations being faced.
NB prolonged use of defense mechanism is not healthy as it represents
the avoidance strategy which rarely provides a genuine solution to
problems.
Types of defense mechanism
Defense mechanism is a mental maneuver that works through self
deception and it is unrealistic strategy which attempts to discharge
tension.
It is like a pain killer which only relieves symptoms but never address
the root cause of the frustration. Examples include: compensation,
displacement, repression, rationalization, denial, projection, reaction
formation, identification, sublimation, regression, etc.
Compensation
• It is replacing unattainable goal or object by striving to excel in the
things one is gifted at; to make up for their short comings.
• E.g. A poor academic achiever may excel in sports, a perpetually
absent parent may over provide luxuries for their children.
Types of defense mechanisms …
Displacement
• It involves diverting negative emotional feelings like anger,
annoyance, frustration, etc. to a less threatening substitute other
than the actual cause of anger, anxiety, frustration.
• E.g. after being scolded or beaten by mother, a youngster takes out
their anger on a little sister or kicks the cat or throws a stone to the
dog.
Repression
• Keeping distressing thoughts and feelings buried in the unconscious
mind. The ego pushes unacceptable impulses out of awareness.
• People tend to repress memories that are painful, desires that make
them feel guilty and conflicts that make them feel anxious.
Types of defense mechanisms …
Rationalization
• This is creating false but logical excuses to justify unacceptable
behavior. The ego replaces a less acceptable motive with a more
acceptable one.
• E.g. a boy who fails to get a date from a girl may justify it by saying
that the girl is not worth it anyway, or statements like “better late
than never” when an individual is late for appointment.
Denial
This is where the ego refuses to acknowledge anxiety producing
realities. E.g. an individual refuses to acknowledge that he/she has a
terminal disease even after a doctor’s diagnosis. Student who fails in
exams but request for same paper to be marked by different lecturer.
Types of defense mechanisms …
Projection
• This is the act of attributing personal short comings, faults and
problem, etc. to other people.
• E.g. a learner who may thinking of cheating in exams keeps saying
others are cheating or a husband who has strong desire to have extra
marital affairs accuses his wife of flirting with other men.
Reaction formation
• The ego transforms unacceptable motive into its opposite. It is
behaving in a way that is exactly the opposite of one’s true feelings.
• E.g. a mother who may have resented her baby during pregnancy may
be over possessive of the infant.
Types of defense mechanisms …
Identification
• The person forms an imaginary or real alliance with successful
individuals or groups. It is basking in the glory of others.
• E.g. young people tend to boost their self worthy by identifying with
celebrities, movie stars or famous athletes. Adults may join exclusive
clubs as a means of identification.
Sublimation
• It is transforming of unwanted impulses into something less harmful.
• E.g. a person with a strong sexual urges becomes an artist who paints
nudes, or ‘I am angry. I go out and chop wood’. I end up with useful
pile of firewood, I am physically fitter and nobody is harmed.
Types of defense mechanisms …
Regression
• The ego seeks the security of an earlier developmental period in the
face of stress. It is reversion to an earlier immature patterns of
behavior.
• E.g some adults may respond with childish boasting and bragging to
impress others when anxious about their self worthy.
How to help learners to avoid reliance on defense mechanisms
• Encourage and support them to solve their problem and not to avoid
the problem.
• Encourage and help them to make realistic goals.
• Create/provide opportunity for them to experience success. In
evaluation include test items that can be scored right by both gifted
and slow learners.
• Advice them to avoid company of “perfectionist”. Avoid criticism.
• Equip the learner with life skills such as process of decision making,
negotiating skills, conflict resolution, etc.
• Facilitate and help learners to appreciate health life style and practice
it.
• Help learners appreciate nature, beauty of nature and preserve it.