AMFTRB Exam Questions and answers with complete solutions Latest Updated 2025 |
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Psychological defense mechanisms - help the ego cope with anxiety, frustration, and unacceptable
impulses, as well as relieve tension between inner psychological reality and demands of external world
These 3 defense mechanisms are considered primitive defenses because they are more out of touch
with reality - Denial, reaction formation, and projection
6 defense mechanisms that represent higher level of functioning - Sublimation, undoing, rationalization,
displacement, identification, and intellectualization
Rationalization - Defense process by which reasons justify an action or opinion. Helps person cope with
disappointments by blaming external circumstances (e.g., hitting children as "punishment" after being
hit by spouse; getting turned down, thinking "that person is really snobby")
Repression - Defense process that refuses to let into awareness unacceptable impulses but remains
unconsciously operative in behavior (e.g., phobia of dogs but can't remember first time afraid;
internalized homophobia)
Displacement - Defense mechanism in which affect is transferred from one object to another (e.g., yell
at spouse bc can't at boss; compulsively eats lollipops after quit smoking)
Identification - Process by which qualities of external object are absorbed into one's personality (e.g.,
child deciding to follow dad's steps and become a lawyer, Bruce Lee fan becomes disciplined in martial
arts)
Intellectualization - Content is separated from repressed affect (e.g., telling traumatic event as if
scripted story; researching PTSD criteria instead of addressing emotional pain)
Asceticism - Rigorous self-denial (e.g., refusing to eat/sleep until project is done; refusing to engage in all
pleasurable activities to cope with sexual tension)
, Reaction Formation - Defense mechanism by which unacceptable impulses are expressed as their
opposites. Helps relieve anxiety and guilt assoc with true impulse (e.g., angry employee being overly
nice to boss; being overprotective over unwanted child; gay man dates women and criticizes gay men)
Introjection and internalization - Introjection is the internalization of outside events or characteristics of
other people (e.g., victim identifying w aggressor's behaviors to protect himself; putting on her seat belt
before driving away in her car.)
Projection - Defense mechanism that places unacceptable feelings from the person feeling them onto
another person (e.g., highly anxious colleague complaining about another's anxieties; someone
complains no one likes him but he does not like himself or others)
Denial - Distorts reality and does not acknowledge emotion. Uncommon in very young children because
unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality (e.g., eating unhealthy food despite dr orders
healthier eating; alcoholic attends recovery program but still drinks alcohol)
Sublimation - Displace unacceptable instincts for constructive and socially acceptable behaviors (e.g.,
person with MDD may use dance to help sublimate suicidal thoughts; person with aggressive impulses
becomes kickboxing instructor)
Undoing - avoid being punished for undesirable thoughts or actions (e.g., partner unconsciously undoes
adulterous acts by buying partner lavish gifts; being overtly nice to someone you insulted in your mind)
Cybersex addiction/dependence - An emotional dependency on sexually-oriented internet and internet-
related sites (chat rooms, messaging boards, porn, role-play sites) that has negative impact on real-life
intimate relationships
Risk factors of cybersex addiction/dependence - Long-term sexual abuse
Ongoing sexual compulsivity disorders or sexual addictions
Suffer from other addictions like gambling, drugs, alcohol
Isolated or in unsatisfactory intimate relationships
Verified
Psychological defense mechanisms - help the ego cope with anxiety, frustration, and unacceptable
impulses, as well as relieve tension between inner psychological reality and demands of external world
These 3 defense mechanisms are considered primitive defenses because they are more out of touch
with reality - Denial, reaction formation, and projection
6 defense mechanisms that represent higher level of functioning - Sublimation, undoing, rationalization,
displacement, identification, and intellectualization
Rationalization - Defense process by which reasons justify an action or opinion. Helps person cope with
disappointments by blaming external circumstances (e.g., hitting children as "punishment" after being
hit by spouse; getting turned down, thinking "that person is really snobby")
Repression - Defense process that refuses to let into awareness unacceptable impulses but remains
unconsciously operative in behavior (e.g., phobia of dogs but can't remember first time afraid;
internalized homophobia)
Displacement - Defense mechanism in which affect is transferred from one object to another (e.g., yell
at spouse bc can't at boss; compulsively eats lollipops after quit smoking)
Identification - Process by which qualities of external object are absorbed into one's personality (e.g.,
child deciding to follow dad's steps and become a lawyer, Bruce Lee fan becomes disciplined in martial
arts)
Intellectualization - Content is separated from repressed affect (e.g., telling traumatic event as if
scripted story; researching PTSD criteria instead of addressing emotional pain)
Asceticism - Rigorous self-denial (e.g., refusing to eat/sleep until project is done; refusing to engage in all
pleasurable activities to cope with sexual tension)
, Reaction Formation - Defense mechanism by which unacceptable impulses are expressed as their
opposites. Helps relieve anxiety and guilt assoc with true impulse (e.g., angry employee being overly
nice to boss; being overprotective over unwanted child; gay man dates women and criticizes gay men)
Introjection and internalization - Introjection is the internalization of outside events or characteristics of
other people (e.g., victim identifying w aggressor's behaviors to protect himself; putting on her seat belt
before driving away in her car.)
Projection - Defense mechanism that places unacceptable feelings from the person feeling them onto
another person (e.g., highly anxious colleague complaining about another's anxieties; someone
complains no one likes him but he does not like himself or others)
Denial - Distorts reality and does not acknowledge emotion. Uncommon in very young children because
unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality (e.g., eating unhealthy food despite dr orders
healthier eating; alcoholic attends recovery program but still drinks alcohol)
Sublimation - Displace unacceptable instincts for constructive and socially acceptable behaviors (e.g.,
person with MDD may use dance to help sublimate suicidal thoughts; person with aggressive impulses
becomes kickboxing instructor)
Undoing - avoid being punished for undesirable thoughts or actions (e.g., partner unconsciously undoes
adulterous acts by buying partner lavish gifts; being overtly nice to someone you insulted in your mind)
Cybersex addiction/dependence - An emotional dependency on sexually-oriented internet and internet-
related sites (chat rooms, messaging boards, porn, role-play sites) that has negative impact on real-life
intimate relationships
Risk factors of cybersex addiction/dependence - Long-term sexual abuse
Ongoing sexual compulsivity disorders or sexual addictions
Suffer from other addictions like gambling, drugs, alcohol
Isolated or in unsatisfactory intimate relationships
