Defense mechanisms, in psychoanalysis, are any of a variety of unconscious personality reactions which the ego uses to protect the conscious mind from threatening feelings and perceptions. Defense mechanisms can be psychologically healthy or maladaptive, but tension reduction is the overall goal in both cases(About). Primary defense mechanisms include repression and denial, which serve to prevent unacceptable ideas or impulses from entering the conscience. Secondary defense mechanisms-generally appearing as an outgrowth of the primary defense mechanisms-include projection, reaction formation, displacement, sublimation, and isolation(AllPsych).
Freud introduced the idea that the mind is divided into multiple parts, including the irrational and impulsive Id (a representation of primal animal desires), the judgmental super-ego (a representation of society inside the mind), and the rational ego which attempts to bridge the divide between the other two parts. He popularized the idea......

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Title: Defense Mechanisms, Freud
Approximate Word Count: 1569
Approximate Pages: 7 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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