Name _________________________
Psychodynamic Ego Defense Mechanisms
According to Freud, defense mechanisms protect us from being consciously aware of a thought or feeling
which we cannot tolerate. Like the symbolism in a dream, they allow for the id to express socially
unacceptable impulses in a disguised form. Using colored pens, match up the defense mechanism to its
description and example quote. The quotes are responses to feeling angry at a critical teacher.
Defense Mechanism
Repression
Projection
Reaction formation
Regression
Denial
Displacement
Sublimation
Rationalization
Intellectualization
Description
Attributing your faults
or wishes to someone
else.
Diverting emotions from
their original source
towards a less
dangerous one.
Avoiding uncomfortable
emotions by focusing on
facts and logic
Refusal to believe that
events or certain
emotions are causing
anxiety.
Redirecting
unacceptable impulses
into a socially
acceptable substitute
activity.
Changing unacceptable
wishes and desires into
the opposite in the
conscious mind. The
conscious thoughts and
feelings are experienced
as quite real.
Coming up with
explanations to justify a
behavior.
Preventing
unacceptable desires or
memories from
becoming conscious
Engaging in behavior
characteristic of an
earlier stage of
development
Example
“He is so critical
because he
trying to help us
do our best.”
“Let’s go shoot
spitballs.”
“I hate that kid
in the front
row.”
“I’m going to
write a poem
about anger.”
“I think she is a
great teacher!”
“This situation
reminds me of
how Nietzsche
said that anger
is ontological
despair.”
“I’m not angry
with him.”
“The professor
hates me.”
Name _________________________