Chapter 11 The Workings of the Unconscious Mind Defenses and Slips 1 Objectives Discuss anxiety Discuss defense mechanisms and how they are used to deal with anxiety Discuss slips and humor Evaluate Freud s contribution to psychology 2 Anxiety Anxiety from psychic conflict We usually do not know what is causing the anxiety 3 Anxiety Realistic anxiety From the Underestimated by Freud Is realistic anxiety good or bad for us Goal 4 Think About It Can you be anxious about something without knowing what it is Or does that strike you as nonsensical 5 Defense Mechanisms Definition Not used consciously Denial Repression Reaction Formation Projection Rationalization Intellectualization Displacement Sublimation 6 Defense Mechanisms Denial Effective way to deal with initial shock Can lead to lack of contact with reality Research 7 Defense Mechanisms Repression More complex and farther reaching Snowball effect Can cause depression Research mixed 8 Defense Mechanisms Reaction formation Common with especially strong sources of anxiety Usually illogically strong and out of proportion Research support 9 Defense Mechanisms Projection Research Rationalization Trivialization 1 0 Defense Mechanisms Intellectualization Common in warfare and medicine Expire vs die Useful when reality is horrifying or too painful to deal with directly Problematic if Research 1 1 Defense Mechanisms Displacement The other object is a safer target and usually resembles the real target Can be a problem Research Sublimation Occupational choice fireman psychologist A positive process 1 2 Parapraxes Definition Freudian slips From belief in determinism Forgetting Usually the result of repression 1 3 Parapraxes Slips Often in speech but also in action More likely when a person is tired not paying attention in a hurry or excited Humor A form of sublimation So many jokes are about forbidden topics 1 4 Psychoanalytic Theory A Critique Excessive complexity Dependence on case studies Vague definitions 1 5 Psychoanalytic Theory A Critique Untestability cannot be proven false Sexism Males are considered to be the norm Females are considered 1 6 Why Study Freud Focused on ideas that are underemphasized elsewhere Influence on the practice of psychotherapy 1 7 Question 1 Which of the following statements about anxiety is true a Anxiety is always bad b Anxiety can result from two sources the mind and the outside world c Parapraxes are a way to avoid anxiety d Jokes are only funny if they cause us anxiety 1 8 Question 2 If you think a person is extremely rude and this person constantly talks about times that other people have been rude then this person is likely using the defense mechanism of a denial b reaction formation c projection d intellectualization 1 9 Question 3 Which of the following about Freud s theory is true a It is no longer an important part of psychological thought b It has been proven false c It was too simplistic to explain all of personality d Many of the issues that Freud thought to be important are topics of current research 2 0