Pressure

a feeling that occurs when an individual feels forced to speed up, intensify, or shift direction in our behavior; compulsion to meet a higher standard of performance; often felt at places of employment

Frustration

feeling when a person is prevented from reaching a goal; 5 common sources of frustration (Morris, 1990): delays (delay in time), lack of resources (“keeping up with the Jones”), losses (cause hopelessness or worthlessness), failure (depends on individual talent and effort), and discrimination (denial of opportunities); road rage is an example of increased frustration

Identification

defense mechanism; taking on characteristics of someone else to avoid feeling incompetent; Example: Anthony, uncertain of his own attractiveness, takes on this dress and mannerisms of a popular teacher.

Compromise

a direct coping skill; one of the most common and effective methods of dealing with conflict and frustration; deciding on a more realistic solution or goal when the ideal solution or goal is not practical

Repression

defense mechanism; most common of defense mechanisms; pushing or excluding uncomfortable thoughts from consciousness; Example: Lisa, who was caught shoplifting when she was in high school, has no recollection of the event

Displacement

defense mechanism; shifting repressed motives from one object to another object; Example: angry at this instructor’s unreasonable request, Nelson yells at his mother instead of confronting his instructor.

Defense Mechanisms

developed by Sigmund Freud but enhanced by Anna Freud; self-deceptive techniques to reduce anxiety and guilt; can operate consciously or unconsciously; means of coping with stress

Approach/Avoidance Conflict

one of Kurt Lewin’s basic types of conflict; conflict dilemma where an individual is both attracted to and repelled by the same goal; the most common form of conflict; there is both good and bad about the goal; the tendency to avoid increases as an individual gets closer to the goal