Personality
Freud’s Personality Structure and Ego Defense Mechanisms
Personality is not a readily defined concept.
Different psychologists have different personality theories.
For this chapter, we will learn about the personality theories of
Sigmund Freud
Carl Jung
And, take the Enneagram Personality test.
This week we will learn about Sigmund Freud’s personality theory, ego defense mechanisms, and explore the ego in more depth.
Freud described the mind as if it were divided into three parts:
Conscious
Preconscious
Unconsious
The Conscious
The conscious is what we are aware of in any given moment.
It only makes up a small portion of the mind.
Because it is self-evident, Freud was more interested in the areas of consciousness that were …show more content…
Freud’s Ego Defense Mechanisms “According to Freud, experiences that have been denied or repressed still have the power to affect a person’s behavior with undiminished intensity without being subject to conscious control” (Fadiman & Frager, p. 24).
Freud’s Ego Defense Mechanisms
As a result, the ego tries to defend against the repressed material in an effort to protect the person from feeling vulnerable or anxious.
Freud’s Ego Defense Mechanisms
It is important to note that although defense mechanisms are normal and universally used, when carried to an extreme, they lead to compulsive, repetitive, and neurotic behavior, where one reenacts the past unconsciously.
Freud’s Ego Defense Mechanisms
The more defensive we are, the less psychic energy we have left to be present and allow authentic expression of this moment.
The beauty of defense mechanisms is that they show where we are wounded and the goal is to become aware of our defense mechanisms so that we can heal ourselves, live more in the present, and connect more fully with ourselves, and others.
Freud’s Ego Defense …show more content…
2) They tend to distort, transform, or otherwise falsify reality.
In distorting reality, there is a change in perception which allows for a lessening of anxiety, with a corresponding reduction in felt tension.
Freud’s Ego Defense Mechanisms
Ego defenses are not necessarily unhealthy.
In fact, they serve a purpose especially for children with out other resources or tools.
For Example:
A child who lives with an abusive parent might repress feelings of anger, in order to continue to live harmoniously with his/her parent.
However, later in life, this same defense mechanism of repressing anger can interfere with the person’s ability to express anger in a healthy way by perhaps bottling feelings in, only to explode at times where both this person and others might not be aware of where this anger came from.
Conclusion
We see that defense mechanisms might have served a survival purpose in childhood, and now in adulthood, loose their utility and keep us potentially from creating healthier expressions of being and relationships that are anchored in what we really wants in life instead of reliving our past unresolved issues with our primary
Freud’s Personality Structure and Ego Defense Mechanisms
Personality is not a readily defined concept.
Different psychologists have different personality theories.
For this chapter, we will learn about the personality theories of
Sigmund Freud
Carl Jung
And, take the Enneagram Personality test.
This week we will learn about Sigmund Freud’s personality theory, ego defense mechanisms, and explore the ego in more depth.
Freud described the mind as if it were divided into three parts:
Conscious
Preconscious
Unconsious
The Conscious
The conscious is what we are aware of in any given moment.
It only makes up a small portion of the mind.
Because it is self-evident, Freud was more interested in the areas of consciousness that were …show more content…
Freud’s Ego Defense Mechanisms “According to Freud, experiences that have been denied or repressed still have the power to affect a person’s behavior with undiminished intensity without being subject to conscious control” (Fadiman & Frager, p. 24).
Freud’s Ego Defense Mechanisms
As a result, the ego tries to defend against the repressed material in an effort to protect the person from feeling vulnerable or anxious.
Freud’s Ego Defense Mechanisms
It is important to note that although defense mechanisms are normal and universally used, when carried to an extreme, they lead to compulsive, repetitive, and neurotic behavior, where one reenacts the past unconsciously.
Freud’s Ego Defense Mechanisms
The more defensive we are, the less psychic energy we have left to be present and allow authentic expression of this moment.
The beauty of defense mechanisms is that they show where we are wounded and the goal is to become aware of our defense mechanisms so that we can heal ourselves, live more in the present, and connect more fully with ourselves, and others.
Freud’s Ego Defense …show more content…
2) They tend to distort, transform, or otherwise falsify reality.
In distorting reality, there is a change in perception which allows for a lessening of anxiety, with a corresponding reduction in felt tension.
Freud’s Ego Defense Mechanisms
Ego defenses are not necessarily unhealthy.
In fact, they serve a purpose especially for children with out other resources or tools.
For Example:
A child who lives with an abusive parent might repress feelings of anger, in order to continue to live harmoniously with his/her parent.
However, later in life, this same defense mechanism of repressing anger can interfere with the person’s ability to express anger in a healthy way by perhaps bottling feelings in, only to explode at times where both this person and others might not be aware of where this anger came from.
Conclusion
We see that defense mechanisms might have served a survival purpose in childhood, and now in adulthood, loose their utility and keep us potentially from creating healthier expressions of being and relationships that are anchored in what we really wants in life instead of reliving our past unresolved issues with our primary