Compensation (definition)
A person makes up for a perceived deficiency by strongly emphasizing a feature that he/she regards as an asset
Compensation (example)
A businessman perceives his small physical stature negatively. He tried to overcome this by being aggressive, forceful and controlling in his business dealings
Denial (definition)
Avoidance of disagreeable realities by ignoring or refusing to recognize them
Denial (example)
Mrs. P as just been told that her breast biopsy indicates malignancy. When her husband visits her that evening, she tells him that no one has discussed the laboratory results with her.
Displacement (definition)
Shift of emotion from a person or object to another, usually neutral or less dangerous, person or object
Displacement (example)
A 4-year-old boy is angry because he has just been punished for drawing on his bedroom walls. He begins to play "war" with his soldier toys and has them battle and fight with each other.
Dissociation (definition)
Separation of any group of mental or behavioral processes from the rest of the person's consciousness or identity
Dissociation (example)
A man is brought to the ER by the police and is unable to explain who he is and where he lives or works
Identification (definition)
A person tries to become like someone he or she admired by taking on thoughts, mannerisms, or tastes of that idividual
Identification (example)
Sally, 15, has her hair styled similarly to her young English teacher, whom she admires
Intellectualization (definition)
Excessive reasoning or logic is used to avoid experiencing disturbing feelings
Intellectualization (example)
A woman avoids dealing with her anxiety in shopping malls by explaining that she is saving frivolous waste of time and money by not going into them
Introjection (definition)
Intense type of identification in which a person incorporated qualities or values of another person or group into his own ego structure
Isolation (definition)
Splitting off of emotional components of a thought, which may be temporary or long term
Isolation (example)
A second-year medical student dissects a cadaver for her anatomy course without being disturbed by thoughts of death
Projection (definition)
Attributing one's thoughts or impulses to another person. Through this process, one can attribute intolerable wishes, emotional feelings, or motivations to another person
Projection (example)
A young woman, who denies she has sexual feelings about a co-worker, accuses him without basis of being a "flirt" and says he is trying to seduce her
Rationalization (definition)
Offering a socially acceptable or apparently logical explanation to justify or make
Compensation (definition)
A person makes up for a perceived deficiency by strongly emphasizing a feature that he/she regards as an asset
Compensation (example)
A businessman perceives his small physical stature negatively. He tried to overcome this by being aggressive, forceful and controlling in his business dealings
Denial (definition)
Avoidance of disagreeable realities by ignoring or refusing to recognize them
Denial (example)
Mrs. P as just been told that her breast biopsy indicates malignancy. When her husband visits her that evening, she tells him that no one has discussed the laboratory results with her.
Displacement (definition)
Shift of emotion from a person or object to another, usually neutral or less dangerous, person or object
Displacement (example)
A 4-year-old boy is angry because he has just been punished for drawing on his bedroom walls. He begins to play "war" with his soldier toys and has them battle and fight with each other.
Dissociation (definition)
Separation of any group of mental or behavioral processes from the rest of the person's consciousness or identity
Dissociation (example)
A man is brought to the ER by the police and is unable to explain who he is and where he lives or works
Identification (definition)
A person tries to become like someone he or she admired by taking on thoughts, mannerisms, or tastes of that idividual
Identification (example)
Sally, 15, has her hair styled similarly to her young English teacher, whom she admires
Intellectualization (definition)
Excessive reasoning or logic is used to avoid experiencing disturbing feelings
Intellectualization (example)
A woman avoids dealing with her anxiety in shopping malls by explaining that she is saving frivolous waste of time and money by not going into them
Introjection (definition)
Intense type of identification in which a person incorporated qualities or values of another person or group into his own ego structure
Isolation (definition)
Splitting off of emotional components of a thought, which may be temporary or long term
Isolation (example)
A second-year medical student dissects a cadaver for her anatomy course without being disturbed by thoughts of death
Projection (definition)
Attributing one's thoughts or impulses to another person. Through this process, one can attribute intolerable wishes, emotional feelings, or motivations to another person
Projection (example)
A young woman, who denies she has sexual feelings about a co-worker, accuses him without basis of being a "flirt" and says he is trying to seduce her
Rationalization (definition)
Offering a socially acceptable or apparently logical explanation to justify or make