Defense Mechanism Definition Example

1. Compensation Overachievement in  Napoleon complex: diminutive man

one area to offset real becoming emperor
or perceived
deficiencies in another  Nurse with low self-esteem working double
area shifts so her supervisor will like her

2. Conversion Expression of an  Teenager forbidden to see X-rated movies

emotional conflict is tempted to do so by friends and develops
through the blindness, and the teenager is unconcerned
development of a about the loss of sight.
physical symptom,
usually sensorimotor in
nature
3. Denial Failure to acknowledge  Diabetic person eating chocolate candy
an unbearable
condition; failure to  Spending money freely when broke
admit the reality of a
situation or how one  Waiting 3 days to seek help for severe
enables the problem to abdominal pain
continue
4. Displacement Ventilation of intense  Person who is mad at the boss yells at his
feelings toward persons or her spouse.
less threatening than
the one who aroused  Child who is harassed by a bully at school
those feelings mistreats a younger sibling.

5. Dissociation Dealing with emotional  Amnesia that prevents recall of yesterday’s

conflict by a temporary auto accident
alteration in
consciousness or  Adult remembers nothing of childhood
identity sexual abuse.

6. Fixation Immobilization of a  Never learning to delay gratification

portion of the
personality resulting  Lack of a clear sense of identity as an adult
from unsuccessful
completion of tasks in a
developmental stage
7. Identification Modeling actions and  Nursing student becoming a critical care
opinions of influential nurse because this is the specialty of an
others while searching instructor she admires
for identity, or aspiring
to reach a personal,
social, or occupational
goal
8. Intellectualization Separation of the  Person shows no emotional expression
emotions of a painful when discussing serious car accident.
event or situation from
the facts involved;
acknowledging the facts
but not the emotions
9. Introjection Accepting another  Person who dislikes guns becomes an avid
person’s attitudes, hunter, just like a best friend.
beliefs, and values as
one’s own
10. Projection Unconscious blaming of  Man who has thought about same-gender
 unacceptable sexual relationship, but never had one,
inclinations or thoughts beats a man who is gay.
on an external object
 Person with many prejudices loudly
identifies others as bigots.

11. Rationalization Excusing own behavior  Student blames failure on teacher being
to avoid guilt, mean.
responsibility, conflict,
anxiety, or loss of self-  Man says he beats his wife because she
respect doesn’t listen to him.

12. Reaction Acting the opposite of  Woman who never wanted to have children
formation what one thinks or feels becomes a supermom.

 Person who despises the boss tells

everyone what a great boss she is.

13. Regression Moving back to a  A 5-year-old asks for a bottle when new
previous developmental baby brother is being fed.
stage to feel safe or
have needs met  Man pouts like a 4-year-old if he is not the
center of his girlfriend’s attention.

14. Repression Excluding emotionally  Woman has no memory of the mugging she
painful or anxiety- suffered yesterday.
provoking thoughts and
feelings from conscious  Woman has no memory before age 7, when
awareness she was removed from abusive parents.

15. Resistance Overt or covert  Nurse is too busy with tasks to spend time
antagonism toward talking to a dying patient.
remembering or
processing anxiety-  Person attends court-ordered treatment for
producing information alcoholism but refuses to participate.

16. Sublimation Substituting a socially  Person who has quit smoking sucks on hard
acceptable activity for candy when the urge to smoke arises.
an impulse that is
unacceptable  Person goes for a 15-minute walk when
tempted to eat junk food.

17. Substitution Replacing the desired  Woman who would like to have her own
gratification with one children opens a day care center.
that is more readily
available
18. Suppression Conscious exclusion of  Student decides not to think about a
unacceptable thoughts parent’s illness to study for a test.
and feelings from
conscious awareness  Woman tells a friend she cannot think about
her son’s death right now.

19. Undoing Exhibiting acceptable  Person who cheats on a spouse brings the
behavior to make up for spouse a bouquet of roses.
or negate unacceptable
behavior  Man who is ruthless in business donates
large amounts of money to charity