DCC 106
INTRODUCTION TO DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION
NAME: xxxx
STUDENTS NUMBER: xxxx
QUESTION
DISCUSS DEFENCE MECHANISM AND HOW THEY APPLY IN TODAY’S SOCIETY
Defense mechanism are characterized as mechanisms that help individuals reduce tensions by
adapting to situations through denial that would otherwise create high levels of stress.
The following are several commonly applied defense mechanisms:
1. REPRESSION
Repression is an unconscious defense mechanism. It represents those memories, feelings and
thoughts that are stored in the unconscious because their recall may be painful or fearful. Much
of what is repressed occurred during childhood, its limited to specific topic and only behavior
related to the topic will be affected.
Later in a person’s life repression affects a person’s behavior e.g. a person who has repressed
memories of abuse suffered as a child may later have difficulty forming relationships.
Sometimes we do this consciously by forcing the unwanted information out of our awareness. In
most cases, however, this removal of anxiety memories from our awareness is believed to occur
unconsciously.
2. RATIONALIZATION
Rationalization is a defense involving reasoning distortion of facts. It seeks to justify a steamily
reasonable explanation to make undesirable or questionable behavior appear logical, reasonable
or acceptable. It’s mostly used to modify guilt feelings to avoid reporting true position to avoid
feeling of guilt.
For example, a person who is turned down for a date might rationalize the situation by saying
they were not attracted to the other person anyway. A student might blame a poor exam score on
the instructor rather than his or her lack of preparation.
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3. REGRESSION
Regression is moving back to psychological time when one is faced with stress. It occurs when
appropriate behavior is blocked by feeling of uncertainty, fear or lack of reward.
Behaviors associated with regression can vary greatly depending upon which stage at which the
person is fixated.
For example, an individual fixated at an earlier developmental stage might cry or sulk upon
hearing unpleasant news while an individual fixated at the oral stage might begin eating or
smoking excessively, or might become very verbally aggressive. A fixation at the anal
stage might result in excessive tidiness or messiness.
4. IDENTIFICATION
Identification gives one satisfaction by identifying with others and their achievements which can
lead to acquiring of new useful behavior.
5. DISPLACEMENT
Displacement is satisfying an impulse e.g. aggression with a substitute object. A common form
of displacement is redirection wherein unacceptable desires maybe channeled into more
acceptable behavior. Displacement involves taking out our frustrations, feelings, and impulses on
people or objects that are less threatening.
For example, rather than express our anger in ways that could lead to negative consequences e.g.
arguing with our boss, we instead express our anger towards a person or object that poses no
threat e.g. our spouse, children.
6. PROJECTION
Projection is a psychological defense mechanism. This involves individuals attributing their own
unacceptable thoughts, feelings and motives to another person.
For example, when you hate someone and your superego tells you that such hatred is
unacceptable, you can solve the problem by believing that the person actually hates you.
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7. DENIAL
Denial is an outright refusal to admit or recognize that something has occurred or is currently
occurring. Drug addicts or alcoholics often deny that they have a problem, while victims of
traumatic events may deny that the event ever occurred.
Denial functions to protect the ego from things with which the individual cannot cope.
For example, people who are suffering from a substance abuse problem will often flat-out deny
that their behavior is problematic. In other cases, they might admit that they do use drugs or
alcohol, but will claim that this substance abuse is not a problem.
References: Introduction to counseling and guidance seventh edition, class notes and internet
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