AP Psych Unit 7: Defense Mechanisms

operate unconsciously and deny, falsify, or distort reality.

the pushing away of threatening thoughts, feelings, and memories into the unconscious mind: unconscious forgetting.

the retreat to an earlier level of development characterized by more immature, pleasurable behavior.

offering socially acceptable reasons for our inappropriate behavior; making unconscious excuses.

attributing our own undesirable thoughts, feelings, or actions to others.

shifting unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or actions from a more threatening person or object to another, less threatening person or object.

acting in a manner exactly opposite to our true feelings. Switch unacceptable impulses into their opposites. 

the redirection of unacceptable sexual or aggressive impulses into more socially acceptable behaviors.

refusing to believe / perceive painful realities.