Question 1

According to Freud, each of us is born with a(n)

Accepted Answer

Freud proposed that humans have a death instinct, which he called "Thanatos," representing an unconscious wish to die and return to an inorganic state.

Question 2

Suppose you use one of the defense mechanisms described by Freud significantly more than any of the others. If you are a well adjusted and productive person, which defense mechanism would that probably be?

Accepted Answer

Sublimation is the only defense mechanism listed that involves channeling one's impulses or emotions into socially acceptable outlets, such as work or art. People who use sublimation as their primary defense mechanism are often well-adjusted and productive, as they are able to find healthy ways to express their emotions and urges.

Question 3

The life instinct to which Freud attributed most of our behaviors is called

Accepted Answer

The life instinct that Freud attributed to most of our behaviors is called libido.

Question 4

The refusal to accept difficult, threatening, or painful situations is a defense mechanism that Freud called ____________.

Accepted Answer

The defense mechanism in which an individual refuses to accept difficult, threatening, or painful situations is denial. This is a common defensive strategy used to protect oneself from experiencing negative emotions or thoughts. Freud believed that this defense mechanism is used when reality is too painful to accept, and instead of acknowledging it, the individual denies its existence.

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the id, ego, and superego?

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's theory of personality, the id is the unconscious and impulsive part of the psyche, seeking immediate gratification and pleasure. The superego is the part of the psyche that embodies our societal and moral values, striving for perfection and morality. The ego mediates between the two, seeking to satisfy the impulses of the id in a way that is acceptable to the values of the superego. Therefore, the best description of the relationship between the id, ego, and superego is that the ego works to satisfy id impulses in a manner that is acceptable to the superego.

Question 6

Orlando has recently felt a few pangs of pain in his upper molars, and on two occasions has been unable to eat. "It's probably nothing. I don't need to go to the dentist," he tells himself. Orlando has had a fear of dental work for many years, and is unconsciously terrified that he may need a root canal. Which defense mechanism is he currently employing as he refuses to accept that he may need extensive dental work?

Accepted Answer

Orlando is using the defense mechanism of denial by refusing to accept that he may need extensive dental work. He is ignoring the pain in his upper molars and convincing himself that it is probably nothing. This is a common defense mechanism used to avoid facing a difficult or uncomfortable reality.

Question 7

Repression is an____________ effort by the ego to push out threatening material out of consciousness or to keep the material from ever reaching consciousness.

Accepted Answer

Repression is an active defense mechanism, meaning that it requires effort and intention on the part of the ego to keep certain thoughts, memories, or feelings out of consciousness. The other options (A, B, and D) are less relevant to the definition of repression.

Question 8

A man is angry with his wife, but instead of confronting her, he begins to shout at their children for leaving a single toy on the floor. This is an example of a defense mechanism called

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes displacement, which involves directing feelings and urges towards a target that is not the original source of the frustration or conflict. In this case, the man may be afraid to confront his wife, so he displaces his anger onto the children for a minor issue.

Question 9

In his early work, Freud described two different types of human instincts. They included

Accepted Answer

Freud described life instincts as those relating to basic survival needs, such as hunger and thirst, as well as to the continuation of the species, such as sexual desire. He also described death instincts, which he believed were associated with aggression and destructive behavior.

Question 10

An honors student is caught stealing money from his teacher's desk. The teacher tells the student to report after school to discuss the incident. However, when the student arrives later that day, he cannot remember doing what the teacher accuses him of. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

Repression is a defense mechanism in which a person blocks out painful or anxiety-inducing memories or experiences from their consciousness. In this scenario, the student might be repressing the memory of stealing from their teacher as a way to avoid feelings of guilt or shame. The fact that they cannot remember the incident suggests that they may be trying to push the memory out of their conscious awareness.

Question 11

A woman is very upset with her mother, but her ego will not allow her to express her hostility openly. According to Freud, what might we expect this woman to do?

Accepted Answer

The woman might do any of these actions, as they involve different defense mechanisms. Freud proposed several defense mechanisms that the ego uses to cope with anxiety and uncomfortable emotions such as hostility. These defense mechanisms include repression, denial, displacement, sublimation, and projection. The woman's ego might use any of these defense mechanisms to deal with her hostility toward her mother, depending on the situation and the individual's personality.

Question 12

In Freudian theory, "libido" is

Accepted Answer

According to Freudian theory, libido refers to the life, or sexual, instinct. It is seen as a source of psychic energy that drives human behavior and motivation.

Question 13

A man becomes a leader in a crusade promoting sexual morality. A year later, he is arrested for a variety of sex crimes. Freud might have interpreted the man's earlier behavior as an example of the psychological defense mechanism called

Accepted Answer

According to Freudian theory, reaction formation is a psychological defense mechanism in which a person acts in a way that is opposite to their true feelings or impulses in order to avoid experiencing or expressing those feelings. In this case, the man's crusade promoting sexual morality may have been a reaction formation to his own repressed or shameful feelings about his own sexuality. Later, his arrest for sex crimes suggests that his earlier behavior may have been a way for him to compensate for his own internal conflicts by promoting a strict moral code.

Question 14

According to Freud, the ego uses defense mechanisms in order to

Accepted Answer

According to Freud, defense mechanisms are used by the ego to reduce anxiety. These mechanisms help the ego cope with the conflicting demands of the id, superego, and reality.

Question 15

A man has a strong unconscious urge to cheat his business associates, but he complains that he can't trust them because they will cheat and steal from him if he gives them half a chance. This tendency to attribute an unacceptable unconscious impulse onto other people is the defense mechanism called____________ .

Accepted Answer

The defense mechanism described is projection, which involves attributing one's unacceptable thoughts or impulses onto another person. In this case, the man's unconscious urge to cheat is projected onto his business associates, whom he accuses of being untrustworthy and likely to cheat and steal from him.

Question 16

A businesswoman is upset with her husband. She channels this anger into her work and increases her productivity dramatically. This tendency to refocus an unacceptable or threatening impulse into a socially acceptable outlet is the defense mechanism called____________ .

Accepted Answer

Sublimation is a defense mechanism in which unacceptable impulses or emotions are redirected into a socially acceptable outlet. The businesswoman is redirecting her anger towards her husband into her work, which is a socially acceptable outlet. This results in increased productivity, which shows the effectiveness of sublimation. Displacement involves venting frustration on someone or something less threatening than the actual cause of the frustration, reaction formation involves behaving opposite to one's true feelings, and projection involves attributing one's own negative qualities onto others.

Question 17

A woman sets excessively high moral and ethical standards for herself. As a result, she constantly feels ashamed and guilty for making small mistakes and minor transgressions. Freud might say that

Accepted Answer

Freud's theory of personality includes the superego, the part of the psyche that internalizes society's moral standards and ideals. The superego operates on the morality principle and aims for perfection. If the superego becomes too powerful, it can lead to excessively high standards and a tendency towards self-blame and guilt for minor infractions. Therefore, the woman's excessive guilt and shame may suggest that her superego has become too powerful.

Question 18

According to Freud, the superego is guided by the____________ principle.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Freud, the superego is guided...

Question 19

Freud said the actions of the ego were guided by the need to adhere to the____________ principle.

Accepted Answer

According to Freud, the actions of the ego are guided by the reality principle, which means that it seeks to satisfy the id's impulses in a realistic and socially acceptable way. Pleasure, ethical, and moral principles do not directly guide the ego's actions.

Question 20

If you see your own unwanted thoughts and undesirable impulses in other people, then you are using the defense mechanism called

Accepted Answer

Projection is the defense mechanism in which an individual attributes their own unwanted thoughts, feelings or impulses onto another person. This could also include one's own insecurities or fears being projected onto someone else. Therefore, if an individual sees their own unwanted thoughts and undesirable impulses in another person, they are using projection.

Quiz 3: The Psychoanalytic Approach: Freudian Theory, Application, and Assessment