Defense Mechanisms (Education)

A concept that originates from the psychodynamic theories of Freud and involves the unconscious psychological strategy of tension reduction, which allows us to cope with anxiety, an aversive psychological state that individuals attempt to avoid. Defense mechanisms are developed by the ego to deal with the demands created by the id, the superego, and reality. According to Freud's topographical model of personality, the ego deals with reality. Therefore, the ego has to deal with the demands frequently conflicting with the id and the superego. The defense allows the unconscious feeling that we cannot consciously tolerate to be expressed only indirectly in a disguised manner. When the anxiety becomes too overwhelming, the ego activates defense mechanisms to [Page 137]protect the individual. Feelings of anxiety are often accompanied by embarrassment, shame, or guilt. The id is the primitive, pleasure-oriented part of the personality. Therefore, defense mechanisms work either by blocking the unacceptable impulses or by distorting or trans forming them into more acceptable ones. This distortion of perceived reality decreases the anxiety and the psychological tension felt by the individual. There are several defense mechanisms that have been described by researchers. Anna Freud, Sigmund Freud's daughter, described 10 defense mechanisms used by the ego. While defense mechanisms can be unhealthy when overused, they also can be adaptative as they allow us to function normally. For more information, see Freud (1937).