defense mechanisms

Anne Tam
3rd hour
February 8, 2009

Behavior Signals of Defense Mechanisms

Observation 1
-The Defense Mechanism that Subject 1 used was displacement. The words and/or behavior signals that led me to think this was the subject got mad for failing a math test, and she took it out on one of her friends. She used harsh words towards her friend, and even when her friend tried to make her feel better, the subject was very blunt and angry. She was also gripping her books very tightly and stomping up the stairs.

Observation 2
-The Defense Mechanism that Subject 2 used was displacement and undoing. One of my friends was mad, and took it out on her boyfriend. Later she realized what she did, and she tried to make it up to him by taking him out to dinner and a movie. The words and behavior that she used that led me to think this was that she was being very nice to her boyfriend after she realized she was being mean to him by saying nice things to him, and giving him a lot of affection.

Analysis
1. No, I do not think they were aware that they were using a defense mechanism because I do not think they know about defense mechanisms. Also, when you are angry about something, usually people do not notice that they are using any kind of defense mechanism. However, if they know about defense mechanisms, I think that they might know they are using them because ever since I learned about them, I have been noticing when I use them and which one I am using.

2. For observation one, I think the use of the defense mechanism had a negative effect because of her using displacement, it made her friends very unhappy that she was taking out her anger on her. For observation two, I think the use of the defense mechanism (undoing) had a positive effect because it made her boyfriend happy again, however, I think that if she uses it all the time, then it would soon start to have a negative effect because her boyfriend would get sick of her always getting mad at him, then making it up to him.