Intellectualization
1. Nancy McWilliams explains that the individual who is using intellectualization as a defense mechanism, is talking about their emotions; however, in an unemotional way (McWilliams, 2011). As a clinician, I have learned to talk about emotions; however, as I was raised in a culture in which emotions were not part of the everyday conversations, it has taken me a long time to learn to identify what I am feeling. Nowadays, as a clinician, I use a lot of emotional language in my everyday conversations, however, when I talk about my own emotions, I do tend to speak more from an intellectual manner, as if I was not affected or felt that emotion deeply. Moreover, in the moment, when I am becoming upset, in many settings, professional and personal, I believe that I need to hold together and would rarely articulate that something another human being said hurt, frustrated, or annoyed me.
2. When a person, especially someone I really care about, says a rude, dismissive, or inconsiderate comment, and I feel hurt, I
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According to McWilliams (2011), this defense mechanism was coined by Anna Freud, who would often use everyday language in her work. As the team implies, in “turning against the self,” the negative experience or attitude regarding a person whom the individual depends on for security, is turned inwards, and internalized as the self being at fault. I believe that this is a common defense mechanism that I use on a regular basis, sometimes in a healthy manner as I can take accountability for my actions in a conflict; however, I often also use it in less healthy way. As a people pleaser who wants to make sure is liked by everyone, my natural tendency is to believe that if someone is displeased, disapproves, or does not like me, it is because I must have done something wrong. It would be too painful to admit that I am not a likeable person, and it was not because of my behavior that another human being created distance or provided
In “The Neuro-Psychoses of Defense”, Freud introduces his study of defense mechanisms. Freud defines a defense mechanism in psychoanalysis as a “defensive mechanism developed by the ego under pressure of the superego and external reality that allows us to fight anxiety”. Some examples of Freudian defenses that are still accepted today include repression, denial, projection, displacement, and regression. Anna Freud and other psychologist’s elaborated on the concept. Defense mechanisms are an essential component in modern clinical psychology, as “no mental status or clinical formulation should be considered complete without an effort to identify a patient’s dominant defense mechanism” (3). Defense mechanisms are today grouped into Narcissistic, Anxiety, Immature, and Mature. The use of Narcissistic, Anxiety and Immature defense mechanisms are considered less healthy than Mature defenses and are often used by emotionally unstable individuals in order to cope with stress. Mature defenses ‘result in optimal
If I am to read Dr.Seuss over the dictionary does that make me worthless? In highschool I often could never relate to the stories I was made to read. I would always find my mind wandering about different things or I would find myself not caring about the grades I made. I would often put my head in the book and drift off to sleep, that would result in trouble. Many times, when I got in trouble and had to go to the office I did not care because I was not being bored by the readings that were being forced on me. Although teachers feel differently about what is intellectual, but students should not feel bad for not being able to relate.
(1) Kellner distinguishes between “functional” and “critical oppositional public intellectuals. What are the major distinctions? Which of the two styles of theorizing most appeals to you? Why?
Everyone has been responsible for wrongful actions in their lives. The reason for these actions as well as your envy, lies, and insecurities is your shadow. Carl Jung’s theory of the persona includes concepts of “the ego, living with the shadow and the persona and mask one wears”(Internet Wire). In “The Shadow Effect”, Jung also describes the shadow as representing “ ‘the other side’ or ‘the dark brother’, who is an inseparable part of our psyche” (Burkard Sievers). Jung explains how for a person to deal with social acceptance and the expectations of humanity, they must conceal the part of themselves that they know won’t conform with these expectations (the shadow). People conceal this part by
...can do the same thing, expecting a different result. Emotional intelligence is an incredible concept in theory. I don’t know much about it, but I think I could use the prescribed equivalent to a 47 year old male Hispanic, trying to deal with his heredity traits passed down from Euro-Iberian (32%) to Native American (24.5%), and even the 2.7% Neanderthal in me. I only wish I could have dedicated the time and energy this class really deserved. Unfortunately, due to my emotional self, back in the late 80s and 90s, I made some very poor, highly emotional decisions that kept me from understanding that in the instant gratification society, he who falls victim of his own lack of control will perhaps wake up decades later with a thirst for self-realization, and self-understanding. This class has answered so any questions, and yet, has stimulated my mind to ask so many more.
The first section explores the “flat-brain theory of emotions, flat-brain syndrome, and flat-brain tango” (Petersen, 2007, pp. 2-45). All three are interrelated (Petersen, 2007). The flat-brain theory of emotions “demonstrates what’s occurring inside of us when things are going well, and how that changes when they are not” (Petersen, 2007, p. 11). Petersen’s (2007) theory “explains how our emotions, thinking, and relating abilities work and how what goes on inside us comes out in the ways we communicate and act” (p. 8). The “flat-brain syndrome” describes what happens when an individual wears their emotions on their sleeve. This “makes it
We created our ego self in our attempt to protect ourselves from the losses we fear loss of self, loss of other, loss of security, loss of face. As children, when we didn’t get the love we needed, we decided that our true Self must be unlovable. In our attempt to feel safe, we buried our true Self and created the false self the ego, our wounded self. The ego self then went about learning how to feel safe through trying to control others and outcomes. The ego believes that having control over how people see us and feel about us, as well as over the outcome of things, will give us the safety we
‘I can’t handle this.’ And guess what? We don’t handle it well. If I tell myself I won’t have a good time at the party I’m going to, I am likely to behave in ways that generate exactly that reality, eliciting from other people indifferent responses, proving my premise. (“A Course in Self-Esteem” 5)
When taking in new information it is natural to rationalize every behavior, event or phenomenon, in order to understand that new knowledge. We want a clear, logical and reasonable explanation of why we behave like this, or think like that. However, in order to reach the goal of understanding, sometimes we make up reasons to excuse, and claim that it is the truth. In “Immune to Reality,” Daniel Gilbert believes that when we face negative situations, especially extreme negatives, we naturally build up a “psychological immune system” to protect ourselves. This system automatically organizes, then reasons in order to explain the negatives and comfort our ill feelings. This type of self-deception helps us to emotionally survive the negativity; it
The scope of emotional intelligence includes the verbal and nonverbal appraisal and expression of emotion, the regulation of emotion in the self and others, and the utilization of emotional content in problem solving. (pp. 433)
In Conclusion, contrary to the presumption that most people suffer from low self-esteem or feelings of inferiority, it is found that most people exhibit a self-serving bias. Individuals typically rate their selves better than average on subjective, desirable traits and abilities. Some individuals display overconfidence, which can lead to eventual feelings of failure. I have a self-serving bias as well as most everyone else, even though I may not even notice it. So next time you find yourself saying, "I was in a bad mood that day," "A lot of people make that same mistake," or "I can do it better myself," think about what you are saying and maybe you might catch your self serving bias.
Rosen, L. D., Cheever, N. A., Cummings, C., & Felt, J. (2008). The impact of emotionality and
Morrison (2007) introduces Emotional Intelligence (EI) as “Being able to motivate one-self and persist in the face of frustration; to control impulse and delay gratification; to regulate one’s mouth and keep distress from swamping the ability to think; to empathize and to hope (as stated in Goleman, 1996). In relation to social work practice, EI stresses for social workers to have a working knowledge of emotions; where they derived from and healthy ways to express and manage them. The social worker not only needs to understand these things about their own emotions, they must
Palenthorpe, M. (2006). Are You Emotional but Intelligent or Are You Emotionally Intelligent. Engineering Management, pp.11-13.
Emotional intelligence can best be defined as being able to regulate one’s own emotions, while at the same being able to identify and empathize with the emotions of others (Morrison, 2007). This is an important skill to have within the realm of social work practice because as social workers, we are working with people on all levels, micro, mezzo, and macro, who are usually experiencing some of the most emotional times of their life. As those emotional buffers for our clients, we need to be able to regulate