Defensiveness Research Articles

The association between temporal decentration and self-appraisal at stages of experiencing psychological crisis

By investigating a physician’s professional and personal development the empirical study tests the hypothesis suggesting that temporal decentration of personality is a marker of existential “normative” or “extra-normative” crises. Decentration on the past marks the crisis of actual self-realization, which takes place in early professional and personal development of the subject. The research supplements the current psychological interpretation of the content characteristics of option normative crises and the crisis of the third year of studying with the following: (a) decreasing actual self-appraisal, desire to keep emotional balance by ego defense with the overestimation of happiness in the past – in childhood and adolescence (option crisis); (b) estimating the current life period as unsuccessful, with the compensation of crisis experiences and overestimation of self-realization in previous life periods (crisis of the third year of studying).
 Decentration on the future is a reflection of the extra-normative crisis of nonrealization. The person finds poorly developed abilities of a competent being in time; he/she hopes for the future fulfillment of his/her aspirations reflected in the highest measures of all the components of the “Future Self” self-appraisal.Centration on the present is a type of a subject’s psychological time in the most active life periods. The experience of psychological time in the person centered on actual life senses and values is positive, without overestimation of previous achievements or over-expectations from the future.The analysis highlighted the regression of temporal orientation in maturity. This paradox can be associated with a change in the structure of sense-life orientations, values, and driving motives. Clearly, the next stage of the research will be checking this assumption, as well as testing the hypothesis about internal resources for overcoming the crisis of the third year of studying in students with a satisfactory level of temporal competence.

Integral Yoga Psychology: Clinical Correlations

This article provides an overview of Sri Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga Psychology (IYP), with a focus on relevance to clinical practice. After summarizing recent developments in integrative medicine that have brought transpersonal themes into the mainstream of contemporary healthcare, the transformational paradigm of IYP is used to articulate a spiritually-informed approach to psychology and psychiatry. Topics covered include the soul (psychic being), reincarnation, the chakra system, psychodynamic therapy, ego defenses, positive psychology, CBT, AA, parapsychology, and mind-body medicine. The possession model of illness is addressed in detail, using both case material and the author’s own experience, and is compared to Jung’s method of working with the shadow. Finally, a range of real world issues are discussed, including cross-cultural considerations, the structure of healthcare systems, the stigma of mental illness, and psychopharmacology.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency under treatment: psychological and sexual functioning impacts.

GnRH (gonadotropin releasing hormone) is a crucial hormone for sexual development, puberty, and fertility, and its deficiency leads to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH), which causes abnormal secondary sexual development and infertility. The combination of the lack of sense of smell, i.e., anosmia, and HH is a type of GnRH deficiency known as Kallmann syndrome, which affects both men and women. The impact of Kallmann syndrome can be very severe and causes a variety of psychological problems in patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate psychopathology, sexuality, and personality characteristics in patients with GnRH deficiency under hormonal replacement therapy. A total of 38 patients with GnRH deficiency aged 30.6 ± 10.44years and 38 healthy matched for age individuals participated in the study and completed a series of questionnaires concerning sexual functioning, ego defense mechanisms, quality of life, personality characteristics, as well as anxiety and depression. After adjustment for anxiety and depression, no difference in sexuality parameters were reported between men with and without GnRH deficiency, while women with GnRH deficiency had significantly lower sexual desire compared to controls. Concerning quality of life, satisfaction with general health was significantly lower in patients compared to controls, even after adjusting for sex. Furthermore, patients with GnRH deficiency indicated markedly less anxiety and a trend for less depression compared to controls. Finally, defense styles, ego-strength, and hostility did not differ between GnRH deficiency patients and controls. Our study is the first to investigate psychological and sexual functioning impacts in patients with GnRH deficiency under hormonal replacement therapy. However, larger studies are needed so as to add further empirical evidence.

Malingering and Defensiveness on the Spanish Personality Assessment Inventory: An Initial Investigation with Mostly Spanish-Speaking Outpatients.

Psychological assessments can be essentially invalidated by examinees' intentional response styles, such as feigning (i.e., fabrication or marked overreporting of symptoms/impairment) and defensiveness (i.e., denial or minimization of symptoms/impairment). As a psychometric strength, the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) has established validity indicators for identifying both response styles. With the United States' increasing ethnic and cultural diversity, predominantly Spanish-speaking individuals are now estimated in the range of 15 million persons. Unfortunately, very little research has been conducted on the Spanish-translated PAI regarding its effectiveness in clinical populations. Using a between-subjects design, a sample of mostly Spanish-speaking outpatients was randomly assigned to genuine, feigning, or defensive conditions. For feigning, PAI malingering indicators using rare symptoms strategies (i.e., Negative Impression [NIM] and Negative Distortion [NDS] scales) demonstrated moderate to large effect sizes. For defensiveness, the Defensive (DEF) index proved the most effective with a very large effect size (M = 1.68). Different cut scores were examined to increase the clinical utility of the Spanish PAI for determining response styles.

Moderating Effects of Ego-defense Mechanism in the Relationship between Acculturative Stress and Depression in a Sample of Chinese College Students

Moderating Effects of Ego-defense Mechanism in the Relationship between Acculturative Stress and Depression in a Sample of Chinese College Students

Faking Good: An Investigation of Social Desirability and Defensiveness in an Inpatient Sample With Personality Disorder Traits

ABSTRACTAccurate interpretations of psychological assessments rely heavily on forthright reporting. However, researchers and practitioners recognize that examinees can easily invalidate their test results by underreporting symptoms or overstating positive attributes. Rogers (2008) delineated two distinct but related forms of positive impression management (PIM): defensiveness (denying symptoms and psychological impairment) and social desirability (putting forth an exaggeratedly positive image). Although these two have often been combined in past research, this study sought to investigate each separately via a mixed within- and between-subjects simulation design. Simulation scenarios included a special rehabilitation program for the defensiveness (DF) condition and a competitive job for social desirability (SD). The study used the Personality Inventory for DSM–5 (PID–5; Krueger, Derringer, Markon, Watson, & Skodol, 2012) and recruited 106 inpatients from a psychiatric hospital. As expected, inpatients with prominent personality traits substantially suppressed them under both PIM conditions. Having shown the susceptibility of the PID–5 to intentional distortion, two empirically derived and conceptually based validity scales were next developed to address this important concern. Pending further validation, they might contribute to screening PIM presentations, thus promoting the PID–5's clinical utility. Continued research is needed across multiscale inventories for differentiating PIM presentations.

Data for: The Impact of an “Aha” Moment on Gender Biases: Limited Evidence for the Efficacy of a Game Intervention that Challenges Gender Assumptions

Abstract In two studies, the present research tested whether a paper-based game intervention that guides participants into understanding and questioning their assumptions about gender can decrease biases. Participants in Study 1 (N = 143 college students) and Study 2 (N = 341 high school students) played a game in which they either had to realize that a scientist character was a woman (Intervention condition) or a professor (Control condition) to solve the mystery. Across both studies, in a game with a storyline that included both male and female scientists, the vast majority of students who used gendered pronouns assumed that non-gendered scientist characters were men. In Study 1, playing the Intervention version of the game had no effect on college students' explicit or implicit attitudes toward women in science. In Study 2, there was a positive effect of the Intervention condition on implicit attitudes: participants in the Intervention condition were less likely to describe a female professor as a man than were participants in the Control condition. However, there was a negative effect of the Intervention condition on explicit attitudes toward women in science. Taken together, the present research points to the continued need for research on raising awareness of bias and developing interventions that can decrease biases while avoiding defensiveness.

Performance Differences Among Skilled Soccer Players of Different Playing Positions During Vertical Jumping and Landing.

Harry, JR, Barker, LA, James, CR, and Dufek, JS. Performance differences among skilled soccer players of different playing positions during vertical jumping and landing. J Strength Cond Res 32(2): 304-312, 2018-Both jumping and landing performance of skilled soccer players is diminished when task demands are increased. However, it is unclear if performance changes are specific to players of certain playing positions. Therefore, we assessed jumping and landing performance among skilled soccer players of different playing positions. Twenty-five National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 male soccer players (179.5 ± 7.8 cm, 75.5 ± 7.1 kg, 19.7 ± 1.2 years) performed maximum effort vertical jump landings (VJLs), whereas vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) data were obtained. Participants were stratified into goalkeeping (GK), defensive (DEF), midfield (MID), and attacking (ATT) group according to their primary playing position. One-way analyses of variance (α = 0.05) and effect sizes (ESs; large ≥ 0.80) were used to compare differences among groups. The jumping phase variables evaluated were jump height, unloading and amortization vGRF magnitudes, eccentric rate of force development, and the reactive strength index. Landing phase variables included the peak vGRF magnitude, vGRF loading rate, vGRF attenuation rate, and landing time. No statistically significant differences were detected for any jumping or landing variable (p ≥ 0.05). However, a number of large magnitude differences were detected during landing after ES calculations. Specifically, greater peak vGRF magnitudes were detected in DEF vs. both MID (ES = 1.08) and ATT (ES = 0.93), a greater vGRF loading rate occurred in DEF vs. MID (ES = 0.93), and a greater vGRF attenuation rate occurred in DEF vs. both MID (ES = 1.00) and AT (ES = 0.80). It is concluded that highly skilled soccer players possess position-specific abilities with respect to the landing phase of VJL. Skilled soccer players might experience enhanced training outcomes after VJL training regimens tailored to the specific demands of their primary playing position.

Devolution and ‘public psychiatry’ in Scotland

When questioned about the impact of the new Scottish Parliament, Scots are likely to respond with a mixture of pride and defensiveness, aspiration and scorn. To those who campaigned against two centuries of control from Westminster, the first sitting of the Scottish Parliament on 12 May 1999

People have access to implicit self-esteem unless they do not apply an ego defence

BackgroundEarly definitions of implicit self-esteem (ISE) assumed its unconscious character. Although researchers have shown ways to achieve consistency between explicit and implicit self-esteem measures, no one has demonstrated that people may be aware of their ISE.Participants and procedureIn the experiment with 85 participants aged from 19 to 45 years a “lie detector” procedure was used to overcome the self-enhancement bias. The definition of ISE, given to participants, referred to the phenomenon, manifested in popular ISE measures.ResultsIn participants who were convinced that they were being assessed in the presence of a lie detector, a significant correlation between referred and actual ISE was shown. Individuals characterised by defensive high self-esteem in natural conditions were less accurate in ISE estimation than those with secure high self-esteem.ConclusionsThe results, demonstrating people’s access to their implicit self-esteem, may have important implications for clinical, well-being, self-acceptance, or educational issues.

Ego Defense Mechanisms in Aesop's Fables

Ego Defense Mechanisms in Aesop's Fables

KECEMASAN DAN MEKANISME PERTAHANAN EGO TOKOH UTAMA DALAM KUMPULAN CERPEN (Lǔ Xùn Xiǎoshuō Quánjí 鲁迅小说全集) KARYA LU XUN (Kajian Psikoanalisis Sigmund Freud)

This research aims to study psychoanalysis main character in the short story collection Lu Xun entitled (Lǔ Xun Xiǎoshuō Quánjí 鲁迅 小说 全集) Works of Lu Xun which include (1) concerns the main character (realistic anxiety, neurotic anxiety, and moral anxiety), (2) the cause the main character of anxiety (realistic anxiety, neurotic anxiety and moral anxiety), (3) the main character's ego defense mechanisms (repression, sublimation, projection, transfer, rationalization, regression, identification, denial of reality, intellectualization, redemption. Datas of this study focuses on anxiety and ego defense mechanism in the collection of short stories (Lǔ Xun Xiǎoshuō Quánjí 鲁迅 小说 全集) Works of Lu Xun. The researcher uses descriptive analysis techniques. Descriptive analysis techniques are done by describing the facts which are then followed by analysis. The total of 153 data was collected data; anxiety realistic citations, 34; neurotic anxiety; 56, anxiety morals; 5, repression; 31, intellectualization; 4, denial of reality; 2, identifying; 6, redemption; 1, reaction formation; 5, the projection; 2, and rationalization ,7 respectively. In consideration of the research result, (1) neurotic anxiety dominates so the purpose (2) also dominated, for the purpose of (3) ego defense mechanism of repression dominate.

Emotional economic man: Calculation and anxiety in fund management

Dominant theorisations of investment decision making remain firmly wedded to the notion of economic rationality, either as a postulate of how financial actors actually behave or as a normative ideal to which financial actors should strive. However, such frameworks have been developed largely without engaging financial market participants themselves. Based on 51 in-depth interviews with fund managers in various global financial centres, this article highlights a number of features of investment decision making that mainstream finance and behavioural approaches both fail adequately to describe. Drawing on psychoanalytic theory, it is shown how the inherent uncertainty of the investment process engenders a state of endemic anxiety among fund managers. This anxiety is managed via a range of mental defences, both conscious and unconscious. The importance fund managers place on meeting and putting trust in company management to ‘perform’ for them can equally be viewed as a means of alleviating anxiety rather than having any direct economic purpose. This article, furthermore, brings to light the crucial role that calculative techniques play in dealing with anxiety. Rather than constituting a means of restoring rationality or correcting cognitive biases, calculation can actually reinforce ego defences while simultaneously perpetuating the myth of homo economicus. Fund managers can be characterised as ‘doing’ but ‘not doing’ and ‘knowing’ but ‘choosing not to know’ and have to manage not only their clients' funds, but their own personal anxiety as well.

Quality of Life after Surgery for Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection: Influences of Different Operative Strategies.

Outcome of surgery for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection extends beyond mortality and morbidity. More than one operative strategy is available but little is known regarding their influence on quality of life. This study analyzes the influence of defensive and aggressive operative strategies on the patients' midterm quality of life (QoL). From July 2007 to July 2010, 95 patients underwent surgery for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection in our institution. Patients who survived the procedure, gave consent to inclusion in the institution prospective registry, completed at least 2-years of follow-up protocol, and answered two quality of life questionnaires (SF-36 and WHO-QOL-BREF) were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to operative strategy: defensive (DS) with replacement of the ascending aorta only, and aggressive (AS) with replacement of the ascending aorta, aortic arch with/out a frozen elephant trunk procedure. The preoperative, operative, postoperative and the midterm QoL were analyzed and compared. 39 patients were included in the study. The DS group had a shorter operative time (184 ± 54 versus 276 ± 110 minutes respectively, P = .001). The AS group had higher incidence of dialysis (31% versus 4% respectively, P = .038). The midterm QoL analysis showed a collective lower value than the normal population. In the SF-36, DS performed better in all categories but with no statistical significance. In the WHO-QOL-BREF, DS performed significantly better in the global life quality and psychological health categories (P = .038 and .049 respectively). In Stanford type A aortic dissection, adopting an aggressive surgical strategy does not improve the quality of life in midterm follow-up compared to a defensive strategy. Unless the clinical setting dictates an aggressive management strategy, a defensive strategy can be safely adopted.

Selfie as a method of perception of the virtual environment

Nowadays selfie is one of the significant communication methods in the conditions of the developing internet space.GoalThe study of psychological mechanisms motivating perception of internet space via selfie.ObjectivesThe identification of:– The personal-social necessity in selfie, as a method of the virtual world perception;– The factors of personal-social necessity of the virtual communication via selfie;– The personal features, which contribute to self-presentation in virtual space via selfie.Research methodsOne hundred and thirty-four respondents aging between16–28 (1stgroup: 68 respondents fond of selfie(50.8%), 2ndgroup: 66 respondents not fond of selfie(49.2%)) were studied using standardized scales of anxiety (Spilberger-Hanin), depression (Zung), ego-defense mechanisms(EGMs)(Plutchik-Kellerman-Konte), and life quality(WHO, 1991).ResultsDesire of high evaluation dominates in 47.8% of respondents(r = 0.3; P < 0.01). Fifty point seven percent of the 1stgroup and13.4% in 2ndgroup have heightened anxiety (r = 0.3; P < 0.01). Forty-three point two percent in1stgroup and 23.9% in 2ndgroup don’t have depression.Subdepressive level dominates in 19,4% of 2ndgroup(r = 0.36; P < 0.01), against 11.9% of 1stgroup.In 1stgroup dominate: denial (17.9%), projection (16.4%), regression (7.5%); in 2ndgroup: denial(17.9%), intellectualization(13.4%), projection(7.5%)(P < 0.05). Forty-four point eight percent in 1stgroup and 40.3% in 2ndgroup have a high level of EGM stress (P < 0.05). Forty-six point eight percent in 1stgroup have high level of subjective life quality, 0% had low one; in 2ndgroup: 26.9% have high level, 13.4% low one.ConclusionsPersonal-social necessity of virtual space perception via selfie reflects the severity of narcissistic tendencies. Selfie in conditions of illusory reality increases the subjective level of life quality. Isolation of narcissistic personality from communication through selfie suggests subjective decrease of life quality. Effects of the selfie should be considered in the development of rational methods of use of internet-technologies and in the psycho-correction of people with low life quality.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Cognitive status and addiction denial in the early stages of alcohol addiction

IntroductionDenial is a common feature of alcohol addiction that is apparent in the early and late stages of the disease. Defensive psychological mechanisms and cognitive failure have been reported as reasons for addiction denial. Effective therapeutic approaches should consider the reasons for anosognosic denial.Aims and objectivesThe study investigates the correlations between the degree of denial of alcohol addiction and cognitive status of people in the early stages of alcohol dependence.MethodSubjects were identified using clinical interview the AUDIT questionnaire investigating compulsive drinking, impaired control of drinking, alcohol tolerance, and symptoms of withdrawal.ResultsForty-nine alcoholic patients at early stage of alcohol dependence were identified. At assessment, all had been abstinent for at least 7 days. They reported compulsive drinking, impaired control over it, increased alcohol tolerance, but no withdrawal symptoms followed by relief drinking. The level of denial was defined by summing up the quantitative ratings of awareness of alcohol addiction and its harmful effects. Three groups emerged of non/mild, moderate, and severe levels of addiction denial. Neuropsychological evaluation of verbal memory, logical memory, visual-motor coordination, and motor and mental speed was conducted.ConclusionThe identified cognitive deficiencies in the 3 groups were mild. Correlation between the poorer test performance and higher levels of denial was not significant. In the early stages of alcohol addiction, the anosognosic denial appears to be an unconscious ego defense mechanism leading to rejection of all the addiction-related problems.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Psychological Correlates of Civilian Preparedness for Conflicts.

Preparedness for emergencies and disasters is imperative for public resilience. Previous studies have revealed low levels of civilian preparedness for conflicts. Classic behavioral models prove inapt in describing preparedness patterns in victimized populations chronically exposed to this threat. In an effort to expand this perspective, we hypothesized that other psychological constructs are correlated with preparedness. A cross-sectional, Internet-based study was performed in Israel in early 2016. A sociodemographically diverse sample included 385 participants, Jews and Arabs. The tools included a preparedness index, sense of preparedness questionnaire, Trait Anxiety Inventory, Life Orientation Test, Behavioral Inhibition & Activation System scales, and ego defenses. The results suggested that optimistic and rational individuals reported significantly higher levels of preparedness, whereas those who scored highly on the trait anxiety scale and those with a tendency to use denial coping mechanisms reported significantly lower levels of preparedness. The findings suggest that additional constructs, other than classic threat perception components, might play a key role in governing preparedness behavior. In particular, psychological manipulation of dispositional optimism or optimistic thinking might be effective in motivating preparedness behavior. Future research should explore such innovative ways to promoting preparedness. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:451-459).

Relationship between emotional regulation strategies and self –reported ego defense styles among nursing interns at Alexandria Main University Hospital

Relationship between emotional regulation strategies and self –reported ego defense styles among nursing interns at Alexandria Main University Hospital

Assessment of anthropometric measurements and body composition of selected beginner South West Ethiopian soccer players

This study attempts to determine the anthropometric measurement and body composition quality of south west Ethiopian beginner soccer players’ considering playing position. In so doing, three soccer teams were selected by employing a cluster sampling techniques that consisted of a total forty eight players, and those who attended less than seventeen years of age. Depending on their playing position players were classified in to four categories as goalkeeper (GK), defense (DF), midfielder (MF) and striker (SK). To achieve the stated purpose, cross sectional descriptive research design was employed. The international Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) protocol was considered to measure the following anthropometric variables : weight measurements, n_/1; girths, n_/10; lengths, n_/6, skin folds, n_/2;(body fat% and lean mass)and body mass index n-1.The data was analyzed by SPSS version 19, moreover, the level of significance was set at (P < 0.05). The finding of this study depicted that significant difference of anthropometric measurement among players based on their playing position. DF players possess larger lower limp, interior body and upper limp girth. Whereas, SK player exhibited smaller lower limp, interior body and upper limp girth. In lower limp length GK and SK have larger lower limp length but in upper limp GK possess greater. GK (176.6cm) are taller than all other players of team while MF (170cm) is sorter in overall body height. There is no significant difference in BMI(GK 19, DF 20.4, MD 18 and SK 18), lean mass and body fat% But GK(64.2 kg) are heavier while SK (58kg) lighter in their weight. Whereas, DF (60.7 kg) and MF (60 kg) players are average in their weight. It is found that mean anthropometric measurement of south west Ethiopian youth soccer players was slightly lower than that of top world class players of similar age group players. It is also obtained that lack of significant differences among playing positions reflect on BMI, lean mass and body fat% indicate as coaches are not give playing position specific training for players. In this study, within-position variation was quite large in some cases, which could indicate that a team that does not have the opportunity to hand-pick players, based on anthropometric characteristics, may be at a disadvantage therefore the respective soccer coaches, sport science professionals should take into account the principle of morphological optimization in talent detection, identification and selecting soccer players.

The Physicalist Worldview as Neurotic Ego-Defense Mechanism

The physicalist worldview is often portrayed as a dispassionate interpretation of reality motivated purely by observable facts. In this article, ideas of both depth and social psychology are used to show that this portrayal may not be accurate. Physicalism—whether it ultimately turns out to be philosophically correct or not—is hypothesized to be partly motivated by the neurotic endeavor to project onto the world attributes that help one avoid confronting unacknowledged aspects of one’s own inner life. Moreover, contrary to what most people assume, physicalism creates an opportunity for the intellectual elites who develop and promote it to maintain a sense of meaning in their own lives through fluid compensation. However, because this compensatory strategy does not apply to a large segment of society, it creates a schism—with corresponding tensions—that may help explain the contemporary conflict between neo-atheism and religious belief.