Which statement best describes defence mechanisms in Freudian theory?

Which statement best describes defence mechanisms in Freudian theory?

• A. Conscious strategies to reduce anxiety
• B. Unconscious strategies that the ego uses to manage the conflict between the id and the superego
• C. A set of brain chemicals regulating mood
• D. A type of cognitive shortcut used in decision making

Answer: (B)

Defense mechanisms are unconscious strategies the ego uses to mediate the conflict between the id’s impulses, the superego’s moral demands, and reality. They operate without conscious awareness to reduce anxiety and protect the self from distress, often by distorting or denying aspects of reality. This makes them distinct from conscious coping strategies, physiological processes like brain chemicals, or cognitive shortcuts used in everyday judgment. In Freudian theory, the ego resorts to these unconscious defenses to keep psychic tension manageable, which is why this description fits best.

Defense mechanisms are unconscious strategies the ego uses to mediate the conflict between the id’s impulses, the superego’s moral demands, and reality. They operate without conscious awareness to reduce anxiety and protect the self from distress, often by distorting or denying aspects of reality. This makes them distinct from conscious coping strategies, physiological processes like brain chemicals, or cognitive shortcuts used in everyday judgment. In Freudian theory, the ego resorts to these unconscious defenses to keep psychic tension manageable, which is why this description fits best.