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Development of the concept of defense and defense mechanisms

Classical psychoanalysis

defense concept appeared as early as 1893, the first psychoanalytic work of Freud Z. of hysteria. In another of his works Freud already described many specialized defense mechanisms, namely: conversion, displacement of affection, withdrawal from reality, denial and projection. Writes PJ Van der Leeuw, Freud "discovered defense as a function of mental and psychological mechanism" .

Freud's thinking about the mechanisms of defense, always occupying an important place in the development of both the theory and psychoanalytic technique, has many modifications. And although the lack of unanimity of different authors trying to put the development of Freud's theory of defense mechanisms in the precise limits chronological, there is a consensus that the evolution theory of defense mechanisms is closely linked to the introduction of the concept of Freud's subsequent metapsychologicznych: dynamic, topographical and economic.

In the early stages of concept "unconscious" and "displaced" are essentially identical, and the concept of "denial" and "defense" are sometimes used variable, though generally considered Freud's defense as a concept parent, the displacement as a specific manifestation of the defense. The next period in the literature Freud characterized by the almost total disappearance of the general concept of defense, and occupies a central place concept wyparcia.W 1915, Freud published two works in which his then expounded the theory of defense mechanisms. In his writings Freud mentions a number of defense mechanisms (transformation into the opposite phenomenon, drawing against each other, repression and sublimation), which is called rzemianami instinct "(essentially sexual) and writes: Given that there are opposing tendencies podążaniu instincts straight course we treat these changes as a form of defense against the instincts.

In the second of his work Freud defines denial as "one of transition, which may be an instinctive impulse. The aim is to displace "inertia" instinct, while denial is "form of existence of instinct" . The essence of repression is the rejection of instinct and stop him before the appearance in consciousness.

In the third stage of his work Freud teaches his final theory of defense, where "Discussing the problem of anxiety once again appealed to the notion of" , or more modestly, the term used earlier, namely "the process of defense."

return to the original justification for the terminological distinction between the general concept of defense and the concept of specific defense mechanisms, Freud draws attention to the relationship between defense mechanisms and various forms of neurosis. Early psychoanalytic study of hysteria involved, in which the displacement is the dominant technique for the defense. This fact led to the adoption of unjustified repression as a synonym for defense at all. Only later did other forms of neurosis analysis revealed that there is always the psyche defends itself by means of repression. Content is not always painful are forgotten, but may appear different defense mechanisms, such as insulation, cancel. Thus, a significant need for revision of views formed in the second period of the works of Freud, which led to the final concept.

So denial is regarded as one of the game, defense mechanisms, but not the only one. Freud mentions in his work as defense mechanisms: isolation, regression, cancellation, denial, projection, and sublimation reaction fabricated. Brought to the role of identification and fantasy introjekcji and neurotic conflict resolution, not giving them But defense functions.

In discussing Freud's concept of defense two points deserve attention - the problem of the relationship between defense and mental energy, and between defense and anxiety.

"The emergence and potrzymywania spending is necessary to displace a certain amount of psychic energy" . This leads to the emergence of the concept kateksji (understood as a commitment to energy), and this in turn led to the concepts and antykateksji hyperkateksji.

• hyperkateksja - is a defensive action in order to facilitate displacement of another,
• antykateksja - is the energy consumed to sustain the process of repression kateksją endowed.
  

With hyperkateksji and antykateksji displacement occurs in the form of energy-related.

problem of the relationship between defense and anxiety and is variously seen.

1. In the early Freud saw in the context of anxiety dreams. (Anxiety appears in the dreams of dream, when repressed contents become too powerful and threaten to tear the awareness
2. Then Freud sees anxiety as a result of crowding - removed from the repressed contents of consciousness continue to live their lives, and the excitation energy associated with the instinct is still czynna.Co more, due to crowding becomes more diffuse, spinning out of control and may be disclosed in the form of acts of anxiety in If symptoms of anxiety or neurotic bezprzedmiotowego.
3. The third phase of Freud considered anxiety as a form of fear antycypacyjnego trigger defense mechanisms. Source of anxiety is the anticipation of traumatic events, leading to the defense.

new ideas about defense mechanisms

In the twenties twentieth century Wilhelm Reich created his concept of the nature of defense mechanisms. He said that the common way to express emotional states is defined muscle tension. People have characteristic ways of reacting to their mental and physical, which together form a tight defense mechanisms.

According to Karen Horney neurotic defense mechanisms, originally created to solve or avoid certain difficulties that lead to the production of a set of attitudes, patterns of reaction. These in turn perpetuate certain structures in the form of nature, which often leads to so. neurotic faulty wheel, because neurotic character structure themselves give birth to new problems, and these in turn force them to adopt new defense mechanisms, which again leads to further difficulties.

Erich From derives its concept of escape mechanisms and complex structures around them characterological types of assumptions about the consciousness of his own isolation and longing of man for a return to the original state of connection with others. These unpleasant feelings lead to the formation of a specific escapist mechanisms.

Harry Stack Sullivan central place in his system assigns a theoretical and analytical system, the so-called self. The system of self is the core character, personality, created out of the experience of interpersonal anxiety in dealing with the mother or the baby sitter. The system is self defense system, whose aim is to fight fear.


structural approach to the analysis of defense mechanisms

structural concept Pluchnika R. H. Kellerman and H. Conte was derived from the following assumptions:

• defense mechanisms are associated with specific affective states,
• set, there are also links between the various mechanisms,
• defense mechanisms can be described in terms of the degree of similarity.

Plutchik, Kellerman, and Conte present a model of defense mechanisms in the form of five demands:

1. Certain defenses are designed to cope with certain emotions;
2. In order to cope with basic basic emotions people use defense mechanisms such as (anger - the movement, distrust - projeksja, sadness - compensation, surprise - regression, fear - denial, denial - acceptance, joy - the reaction disguised, waiting intellectualization)
3. eight basic defense mechanisms can be schrakteryzować because of the similarities and polarities
4. main types of diagnostics are derived from the various defense mechanisms;
5. entity may use any combination of defense mechanisms.

defense mechanisms in terms of learning theory

Dollard and Miller believe that ignorance is synonymous with a lack of verbalization, some instincts and reactions may be unaware of, because I have never been verbalized, others because the body has learned to avoid re-verbalization.

Crowding is strongly motivated, przebiegającym automatically and not under the control of verbal signals. It is a symptom of avoidance of certain ideas, reinforced by the reduction of libido. Man learns to displace as learn many other reactions. Mileage learning crowding Dollard and Miller analyze the example of a soldier in the front as follows:

During the war, a soldier affected by many external signals. He also produces internal signals through their perceptive reaction, the sign saying the essential features of current events and thinking about what he does. Traumatic conditions of the front associated with a strong fear of all these signals. This fear generalizes to other similar signals, and they are stronger, the wider is the range of its generalizations.

Later, when the soldier begins to think about what was happening, his memories, or, more specifically, his thoughts and images is not caused by the signals are similar to those with whom he was dealing at the front. Therefore, these thoughts and images evoke a very strong fear. Once the soldier stops to think about his experiences frontline excitation signals disappear fear and fear is reduced.


Cognitive approach to defense mechanisms

Observers in many areas Psychology "third direction" , as it is called cognitive psychology, which is competitive with the psychoanalysis and behaviorism approach to the analysis of the man and the processes taking place in it, it did not pass the area of \u200b\u200bdefense mechanisms. Theorists analyzing defense mechanisms in the cognitive concepts highlight the one hand, the fact that the defense mechanism is triggered by the emergence of tensions arising from differences in the structures of cognition (cognitive determinants of defense), on the other hand adopt the cognitive nature of the process of defense, which is mainly focused .


Problems with the definition and classification of defensive mechanisms

term what is and what is not a defense mechanism poses many difficulties. Most authors use this concept does not define it precisely, confining themselves to determine the defense mechanisms as techniques to reduce anxiety and maintain a positive self-image and self-esteem. Thus, the phenomenon is defined by the function that it has a play, not winning on the theoretical determination of the status of this huge phenomenon nor any of its borders. Adoption of a functional definition of defense mechanisms may be the source of many difficulties when we want to define the boundaries of the area belonging to the phenomena of defense mechanisms. In the broad sense defined above can in fact be attributed to the defense of almost all forms of human behavior, which easily leads to the absurd.

lack of precise criteria to include the phenomenon to the category of defense mechanisms, various attempts to isolate further mechanisms - often by being too specific and analysis of the manifestations of these mechanisms without attempting to determine the criterion of their intrinsic characteristics - as a consequence led to a sizeable terminological chaos and classification in this field.

defense mechanisms have been isolated by various authors are classified in different ways. Freud has identified these defense mechanisms that cause, according to him, the transformation of the original instinct. The transformation of instinct in its opposite could be done in two ways: by changing from passive to active form (as exemplified by the transformation of sadism to masochism, in which case the transformation - reversed - is the objective of instinct) or by reversal of contents (Eg change of love into hate.) The second form of the transformation of instinct - to pay off against each other, is in fact another form of transformation of instinct in its opposite.

Besides the mechanisms which are transformations of instinct Freud mentions some other defenses (isolation, denial, projection, the reaction was fabricated, cancellation, substitution or otherwise moving and hysterical conversion.) Each of these specific defense mechanisms is described as a form of crowding, crowding out is like a concrete expression - expression of the various ways that displacement can be realized. According to Freud's defense mechanisms are the varieties of repression.

in the work of Freud, there are defense mechanisms such as introjekcja, identification, regression, fixation.

Anna Freud was trying to arrange his father's reflections on the mechanisms of defense, has introduced its own attempt to classify them, taking as a criterion for a source of danger.

list of defense mechanisms adopted by A. Freud eventually include regression, repression, disguised reaction, isolation, cancellation, introjekcję, projection, and the recourse against each other, the transformation instinct in its opposite, and sublimation and intellectualization, denial and identification with the aggressor.

Seeking a suitable criterion to classify defense mechanisms, the author concluded that, in the final instance, the Ego is always defending itself against its own instincts, and the reasons for which an instinct can become threatening are different. And yes, defense mechanisms may be triggered by anxiety triggered by the Superego, the objective fear of punishment coming from the external environment and finally, by the fear generated by the same power of instinct. The third source fear is particularly evident in the transient. Further sources of anxiety that may run defense mechanisms are the trends in conflict with the satisfaction of instinct, despite bans stemming from the Superego, or from the outside world.