Regression in Psychology

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Regression in psychology is considered to be a defense mechanism that leads the ego to revert back to the earlier stage of development rather than making an effort to handle unacceptable stimuli in a mature and adult manner.Regression examples in psychology can be seen in our day to day life. For instance when you are under a lot of stress from everyday life you may regress by going to your room and wrapping up in a security blankets or watching a cartoon to make the stress go away for the moment. Psychoanalysts say that most regression is harmless and a person usually regresses to vent his feelings of frustration when he is unable to cope with adult situations and problems. According to psychoanalyst Anna Freud, in regression people act out behaviors from the stage of psychosexual development that they are gripped in. So why might grown-ups harbor affection for a ratty old blanket or well-worn stuffed dog? Part of the reason is probably nostalgia, Hood said, but there seems to be a deep emotional attachment to the objects as well. It's called "essentialism," or the idea that objects are more than just their physical properties.

When I was younger I used to watch a show called Charlie Brown, where there was a character called Linus. He could always be seen carrying around a ratty old blanket which he would drag everywhere he went. That blanket seemed to give him a sense of security that one would expect from a "security" blanket and if the he was unable to reach the blanket, he experienced a kind of physical illness as a result almost like stomach ache. Although Charlie Brown was one the main character that would provided us with comedic relief, there may actually be some truth in what was being said about needing a security b...

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... view of the kids. Just like the other group I allowed the kids to feel comfortable in the room by playing in a small group. When it was time for the parents to leave I gave them the same instructions on how to leave and when to return. Group twos reaction was completely different from the first. they too noticed the fact that their parents weren't around but instead of crying they each at different times grabbed their respective lovies and continued to play.
To be honest, there is still much that needs to be learned about the security blanket and the role that it may play in the development of the child. Does it cause the child to be independent, or does it simply allow them to deal with a stressful situation better? That is yet to be determined, but one thing is certain, blankets and lovies are popular among children and that is not likely to change anytime soon.

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