Defense Mechanisms
Definitions
True/False
Examples
Halloween
100
A defense mechanism is used to _________ our feelings. (think shield)
Protect
Defense mechanisms prevent us from feeling stressed/anxious over a situation, which helps us protect our emotions.
100
When a person avoids uncomfortable emotions by focusing on the facts & logic.
a) introjection
b) intellectualization
c) sublimation
b) intellectualization
ex: one of your best friends moves out of NYC, and instead of feeling sad, upset, or lonely, you choose to focus on schoolwork or other activities to keep your mind busy/distracted from feeling those uncomfortable emotions.
100
True/False: Denial is a negative defense mechanism.
True!
Denying your actual thoughts and emotions surrounding a situation is a "quick fix" to avoid feeling uncomfortable.
100
After receiving a rejection letter from a college, Jan starts an argument with her best friend. What defense mechanism is this an example of?
Displacement
100
Halloween is the second busiest holiday after which one?
Christmas! 
200
True/False: Hitting a classmate who is getting on your nerves is a positive defense mechanism.
False! This would be acting out on an impulse-- hitting someone because they are getting on your nerves would have consequences that follow.
200
Reverting back to an earlier, child-like behavior.
a) repression
b) reaction-formation
c) regression
c) regression
ex: screaming, shouting, and crying when something does not go your way.
ex: getting in trouble for not doing your chores before your parents get home, and choosing to cry for getting in trouble.
200
True/False: Denial requires a large investment of mental energy.
True!
Instead of working through uncomfortable emotions, you are consciously refusing to admit something is wrong/ that something bad has occurred or is happening.
200
Forgetting being abused as a kid due to the trauma and anxiety. What defense mechanism is this an example of?
Repression
200
Which country did Halloween originate in?
Ireland
300
ex: Running out of a classroom when a teacher asked you to complete an assignment.
Is this a negative defense mechanism? Why or why not.
BONUS- What could we do instead of running away?
Yes, it is a negative defense mechanism. (explanations can be:)
- running away is child-like
- I would still have to do the classwork
- running away from problems won't work out long-term.
-------------------------------
Bonus Answer:
- ask the teacher for help if you don't understand.
- talk to friends about how you are feeling.
- ask yourself why you want to run away.
300
Assigning your own unacceptable feelings or qualities to others.
a) projection
b) repression
c) displacement
a) projection
ex: you feel attracted to someone other than your partner, so you accuse them of cheating on you with someone else.
300
True/False: Suppressing any negative thoughts is always the best thing to do to cope with stressful events.
False!
The word "always" means that it is a definite, 100% correct way to handle stress. However-- while suppressing could work in some instances, it is always better to approach a stressful situation head on, and figure out why it is causing so much discomfort (work through emotions, talk to friends, write about your thoughts and feelings, etc).
300
Mark's father recently passed away from lung cancer. While he knows he should give up smoking, he deals with his 3-pack-a-day cigarette habit by claiming "I'll probably die from an accident before cancer". What defense mechanism is this an example of?
Denial
300
What does the phrase, "eat a snickers" mean?
When someone has an attitude/ not being themselves-- telling them to calm down/chill out.
400
A negative defense mechanism is [easy/hard] to choose? Explain your answer.
Easy. (responses could look like):
- negative defense mechanisms are not thought about
- they come naturally
- they are subconscious ways of thinking
- they are easy since they make us feel safe from whatever is bothering us/ a perceived threat.
400
Taking your feelings out on someone or something.
a) sublimation
b) displacement
c) projection
b) displacement
ex: being angry because a teacher yelled at you in school, and taking that pent-up anger out on your sibling(s) instead.
400
True/False: Displacement involves taking out our frustrations, feelings, & impulses on people/objects that are less threatening to us.
True!
Displacement is a defense mechanism where we release any pent-up frustrations onto someone/something that is less threatening/scary to us.
ex: Being mad because you failed an exam and taking that anger out on your sibling when you get home from school.
400
Stating you were fired because you didn't kiss-up to the boss; when the real reason was your bad performance. What defense mechanism is this an example of?
Rationalization
400
This animal is considered to be a bad omen. They hunt at night and kill their prey silently. Their shrieks may make people afraid.
Owl
500
When you stop yourself from engaging in certain behaviors, you are practicing ________-________.
Impulse-Control.
When we control out impulsive behaviors (behaviors done without thought), we slowly start to think about our actions before we do them, which could keep us out of trouble and from facing consequences.
500
Consciously keeping unpleasant information out of your mind.
a) repression
b) suppression
c) rationalization
b) suppression
ex: being bullied as a child, and choosing to push those traumatic/anxiety-provoking memories out of your mind to move forward without appearing fragile/weak from it.
500
True/False: Rationalization is not a healthy defense mechanism.
True!
Rationalizing an unacceptable behavior, thought, or feeling can make us do anything to avoid the true reasons for that behavior/situation occurring.
ex: receiving a bad grade on an exam & blaming the teacher; saying they don't know how to teach rather than taking accountability for failing the test.
500
Worried about what his parents, coach, and teammates would think that he could not play in the big Thanksgiving football game, Frank, a senior in high school, threw a big temper tantrum when his dean told him he was not a student in good academic standing.
Regression
500
What are the top 3 candies that trick-or-treaters hope to find in their Halloween basket at the end of the night?
Reese's Peanut Buuter Cups, KitKat, and Snickers