The ego strives to direct behavior in ways that satisfy the Id, the super ego and the demands of reality. In achieving the goal, the ego develops several defense mechanisms.
Defense mechanisms are
Identification Identifying with another person who appears successful, moral, and realistic, trying to behave as much like that person as possible.
Displacement Directing aggression away from someone powerful to someone against whom it is safe to show aggression.
Sublimation expressing both pleasure and aggressive drives in socially acceptable manner
Repression blocking from awareness unacceptable, unconscious drives such as sexual feelings, impulses, aggressive thoughts and feelings of guilt
Denial keeping threatening perceptions of external world out of awareness Eg. Cigarette smoking is injurious to health – denying this awareness and continuing with the habit
Projection involves perceiving personal characteristics in other people that one cannot admit in oneself.
Reaction formation is consciously feelings or acting the strong opposite of one’s true unconscious feelings because the true feelings are threatening. Eg. Hatred may be reflected in excessive love.
Rationalization generating a socially acceptable explanation for behavior that may be caused by unacceptable drives. Eg. Rationalize aggression by saying the other person deserved to be punished
Compensation making up for perceived deficiencies through extra effort and hard work eg. Handicapped individuals showing extraordinary achievements
Emotional insulation putting up a wall of armour – withdrawing into a shell of passivity by lowering aspirations, curbing emotional involvement in achievement of goals
Introjection appeasing the other person who is dominating by adopting her behaviour, trying to please that person
Fantasy imagining something better that what exists. It is stimulated through frustrated desires. Productive fantasy is useful rather than non productive fantasy.
In summary, Freud’s theory basically says that personality is based on unconscious drives, conflicts, fixation, and defenses.
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