1. Repression - Suppressing painful memories and thoughts in the unconscious - A child who is abused by a parent later has no recollection of the events
2. Projection - Attributing unacceptable desires to others - A person with homosexual tendencies expressing hatred towards homosexuals
3. Displacement - Transferring inappropriate urges or behaviors onto a more acceptable or less threatening target - After being reprimanded at work, a person goes home and takes their anger out on a pet
4. Reaction Formation - Reducing anxiety by adopting beliefs contrary to your own beliefs - A person who is insecure about their body image complains about how other’s physical appearance is displeasing to them
5. Regression - Returning to coping strategies for less mature stages of development - After a parent brings home a newborn the 10 year old sibling begins wetting their bed
6. Rationalization - Justifying behaviors by substituting acceptable reasons for less-acceptable reasons - A person who “vapes” states that it’s less dangerous than smoking
7. Denial - Refusing to accept real events because they are unpleasant - Instead of confronting his drinking problem, Johnny talks about how well he’s doing in school
8. Sublimation - Redirecting unacceptable desires through socially acceptable channels - A person who feels the desire to expose themselves becomes an actor
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of examples of defense mechanisms.
