Learn - Defense Mechanisms
A psychological defense where a person refuses to acknowledge a painful or threatening reality, acting as if it doesn't exist. Involves unconsciously blocking distressing thoughts or memories from conscious awareness, keeping them buried in the unconscious mind.
Denial
refusal to accept external reality because it is too threatening
Key Terms
Denial
refusal to accept external reality because it is too threatening
Repression
places uncomfortable thoughts into inaccessible areas of the unconscious mind
Displacement
shift emotion from original object to more acceptable less threatening substitute
Rationalization
subconscious technique for justifying actions that otherwise would be unacceptable
Fantasy
engages in daydreams about how things should be rather than how they are
Compensation
counterbalancing perceived weakness by emphasizing strength in other areas
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Denial | refusal to accept external reality because it is too threatening |
Repression | places uncomfortable thoughts into inaccessible areas of the unconscious mind |
Displacement | shift emotion from original object to more acceptable less threatening substitute |
Rationalization | subconscious technique for justifying actions that otherwise would be unacceptable |
Fantasy | engages in daydreams about how things should be rather than how they are |
Compensation | counterbalancing perceived weakness by emphasizing strength in other areas |
Projection | places their own unacceptable impulses onto someone else |
Reaction Formation | fakes a belief opposite to the true belief because the true belief causes anxiety |