Carolina Stanescu
University of Santiago de Compostella
Paul Morosanu
University of Bucharest
The present study has as main object the investigation of the relationship between neuroticism, Ego defense mechanisms and valoric types, on a sample of 39 participants selected from the general population. In order to serve this purpose we started from the main psychoanalythic theories about defense mechanisms and neurotism, and we made the concepts that we used functional based on the psychological instruments used and the psychological thories underlying them: Bond´s “Defense Styles Questionnaire” for defense mechanisms; Allport-Vernon scale for the values as part of the personality and a composite testing instrument made up of neurotism items from Eysenck Personality Inventory and Cattell´s 16 Personality Factors. A significant number of our hypothesis has confirmed after performing the statistical data processing. On the one hand, we the authors of this investigation consider our results per se and this fact is going to be presented widely in the “Discussion” section and, on the other hand, we see our results also as starting points for further investigation in the area.
Introduction
Our starting theoretical point is the Freudian theory about defense mechanisms, and especially the theory developed by Anna Freud. According to the second topic of the psychic of Sigmund Freud, the Ego confronts itself with the demands of reality, of the Self and of the Superego as well as it can. But when the anxiety generated by the conflicts between these demands becomes overwhelming, the Ego has to defend itself by the unconscious blockage of impulses or by distorting them into an acceptable less threatening form. So, for this investigation we defined defense mechanisms (the central concept) as the ways in which this blockage or distortion happens. The second main concept is the neuroticism, defined by us according to Eysenck and Cattell delimitations: an exagerated emotional responseand lack of emotional stability, mainly. Finally, the third main concept with which we operate here is the “personal moral values”: the author making the delimitation of the six types is Spranger in his book “Types of Men”: theoretic, economic, esthetic, social, political and religious, mentioning that each individual integrates from all the six types, in different proportions. From our own point of view, the defense mechanisms are the mechanisms making the mediation between two logics, the one on the consciousness and the one of the unconsciousness; this leads to an equilibrium, but a non-authentic one and a precarious one. Because of the cualitative differences between the two logics, raises the necesity of mechanisms which build themselves as comon language for both of them, more maladaptive as they built themselves on a basis of higher neuroticism. At the foundation of employing defense mechanisms (as ontogenethic developments) lays the subjective selfevaluation of the incapacity of direct confrontation and resolution of the intrapsychological conflict “here and now”. The personal values could be seen as Ego defense mechanisms in front of the Superego, by acceeding to the norms of the Superego, by accepting, promoting and defending them on the basis of previous acceptance of them. The purpose of the defense mechanisms (“common” ones as well as personal values as defense mechanisms, too) would be the avoidance of the anxiety generated by an intrapsychic conflict already present, but through defenses it is not approached directly. The fear could be a relevant aspect which determines the avoidance of the direct confrontation with the conflict, and at a higher neuroticism, greater fear, with shadows brought by neuroticism itself (as anxiety, instability, etc.).
Objectives and HypothesesWe intended to investigate, at a more general level, how does the relation defense mechanisms, neuroticism and moral values shapes itself; whether there is any significant relationship between defense mechanisms and neuroticism and; whethere we can find a significant statistical correlation between defense mechanisms and valoric types. As more specific hypothesis, we have depicted the following: whether there could be realized a clasification of defenses following the neuroticism criteria; where we can find a significante correlation between maladaptive action, image distortion, self sacrifice on the one hand and neuroticism on the other; whether there is a significant statistical correlation between neuroticism and adaptive style; whether there is a significant correlation between neuroticism and the proportion of global employment of defense mechanisms and finally; whether there is a significant correlation between defensive factors and valoric types.
MethodParticipants
We have made a pseudo-aleatory selection of the participants sample from the general population, with ages ranging from 19 to 66 years old. After the primary evaluation of the results and their screening in the study remained 39 participants, with ages ranging from 19 to 66, medium and upper academic instructional background, 22 women and 15 men.
Materials
In order to test the participants we have used the following evaluation instruments: “The Defense Style Questionnaire” created by M. Bond in 1983. This instrument was designed for testing the defense mechanisms as thir existence is accepted nowadays by the majority of the psycodynamic oriented specialists. The test has 88 items; after its validation and a factorial analysis resulted four factors which make up separate defensive styles and each one of them containing a number of subordinate defenses. The first factor is called maladaptive action and contains six defenses: withdrawal, activism, passive aggression, projection, regresion and inhibition. The second factor is image distortion containing: splitting, idealization, pseudoaltruism, depreciative omnipotence. The third factor – self sacrifice, with reaction formation and pseudoaltruism. And the fourth factor, called adaptive style contains humour, suppression and sublimation as underlying defense mechanisms.
For evaluating the moral values we applied the Allport-Vernon questionnaire, depicting six valoric types: theoretic, economic, esthetic, social, political and religious.
In order to investigate the neuroticism we applied a composite instrument that we the authrs constructed, containing the neuroticism factor from EPI (“Eysenck Personality Inventory”) and the “C” factor from “16 Personality Factors”. The items of the two factors were interpolated non-aleatory. Because the score rating sistems were different (neuroticism from EPI – two choices answer and “C” – three choices answer), we have chosen the three choices answer which meant to convert the answer alternatives for the neuroticism (EPI) in answers three alternatives type. The answers evaluation was made based only on one system, the final score being calculated by totaling all the answers.
Procedure
The participants were tested with the testing instruments gathered into an instrumental kit. They received, for each test applied, a specific briefing containing the instructions about answering the questions/ items, the main purpose being to minimaze the error caused by a lack of understanding of the instructions about solving the tests. The answers were to be given on specific forms attached to the questionnaires.
After the statistical processing resulted significant correlations between: neuroticism and the forst three factors DSQ, between neuroticism and some specific defense mechanisms, between specific personal value types and DSQ factors (and specific defenses) and between neuroticism and the proportion of global employment of defensive styles.
For the neuroticism variable we obtained an average score of 41.5 and for the DSQ factors – maladaptive action, image distortion, self sacrifice and adaptive style the means are: 42.3, 39.1, 49.9 and 62.2. By applying a Pearson correlation test between neuroticism and each defensive style resulted the following significant correlations r(36)=.46, p‹0.01 (neuroticism – maladaptive action); r(36)=.34, p‹0.05 (neuroticism – image distortion); r(36)=.35, p‹0.05 (neuroticism – self sacrifice). We obtained a non-significant correlation between neuroticism and adaptive style.
The neuroticism had also positive correlations with several defense mechanisms not included in one of the four factors; so, neuroticism registered a positive and significant statistical correlation with the activism (M=18.6) (r(36)=.48, p < 0.01), with the somatization (M=7.4) (r(36)=.45, p < 0.01), with the withdrawal (M=15.6) (r(36)=.51, p < 0.01), with help-rejecting-complaining (M=11.4) (r(36)=.41, p < 0.01), with isolation (M=16.3) (r(36)=.43, p < 0.01), with regression (M=8.64) (r(36)=.37, p < 0.05), with the splitting (M=9.07) (r(36)=.40, p < 0.05), with the idealization pseudoaltrism (M=7.71) (r(36)=.40, p < 0.05), with the undoing (M=13.6) (r(36)=.35, p < 0.05), with the task orientation (M=11.2) (r(36)=.32, p < 0.05); we registered a negative correlation with the lie (M=41.3) (r(36)=-.37, p < 0.05).
Concerning the personal values and the defense mechanisms employed, there were registered significant correlations, positive as well as negative between thoretic type (M=31.5) and passive aggression (M=18.3) r(34)=.34, p<0.05; and humor (M=17.5) r(34)=.38, p < 0.05; and suppression (M=10.1) r(34)=.39, p < 0.05; and help-rejecting-complaining (M=11.4) r(34)=.34, p < 0.05; and task orientation (M=11.2) r(34)=.57, p < 0.05; and anticipation (M=12.1) r(34)=.36, p < 0.05.
The economic type has positive correlations with projection (M=27.8) r(34)=.57, p<0.01 and with splitting (M=9.07) r(34)=.45, p<0.01.
Between the social dominant valoric type (M=26.8) and regression (M=8.6) we have registered a positive correlation of r(34)=.43, p<0.01. This valoric type registeres also a positive correltaion with the somatization (M=7.4) at the r(34)=.33, p<0.05; with the withdrawal (M=15.6) at an r(34)=.34, p<0.05 and; with the inhibition (M=18.1) at r(34)=.39, p<0.05. The social type registers negative correlations with sublimation (M=6.5) at r(34)=-.35, p<0.05 and with suppression at r(34)=-.48, p<0.01.
The results of the pearsons correlation test for the religious type (M=36.1) and two defense mechanisms were significant, as follows: a negative correlation with the suppression, at an r(34)=-.44, p<0.01 and a positive correlation with the undoing at an r(34)=.39, p<0.05.
Applying the Spearman correlation test we obtained a significant statistical correlation between the esthetic type (M=30.2) and denial r(34)=-.57, p <0.01.
The political valoric type (M=28.6) correlates with regression at an r(34)=-.33, p <0.05 and with help-rejecting-complaining at an r(34)=-.39, p<0.05.
By correlating the four DSQ factors with valoric types, resulted the following significant correlations: factor IV – adaptive style has a positive correlation with the theoretic type at an r(34)=.45, p <0.01 and a negative one with the religious type at r(34)=-.40, p<0.05; the factor III – self sacrifice has a negative correlation with the esthetic type at the r(34)=-.37, p<0.05.
The degree of global employment of defense mechanisms has a positive correlation with neuroticism at r(36)=.50, p<0.01 and with the esthetic type has a negative correlation of r(34)=-.33, p<0.05.
DiscussionThe hypothesis concerning the possibility of realizing a clasification of the defense mechanisms on the neuroticism criteria verified, as we obtained, significant correlations between the first three defensive factors and neuroticism: this means that maladaptive action, image distortion and self sacrifice could be considered as neurotic defenses (the most specific for neuroticism being the maladaptive action) and the adaptive style, as non-neurotic defense style. Neuroticism could be characterized by impulsivity and negative emotionality; from here could come the precipitation and the “acceptance” of defenses which only on the spot and apparently seem eficient, but on the long run, they do not solve the conflict, but only hide it from the conscience, make it last longer. So for us the neuroticism could better be characterized by exagerate and intense and wrongly orientated efforts to face the problems as in “making them dissapear”. The intensity of these efforts being too high, the splitting emotional-cognitive-actional takes place and these is what leads to “an inconsciente failure behavior”.
As an answer to the open hypothesis we have launched about the existence of significant correlations between specific defense mechanisms and neuroticism, we could consider as defense mechanisms strongly neurotical are acting out, somatization, withdrawal, help-rejecting-complaining, isolation. Neurotical defense mechanisms are: regression, splitting, idealization pseudoaltruism, undoing and task orientation. The global employment of defense mechanisms correlated positively strongly (.01) with neuroticism, which could mean that the individuals who adapt to the situation do not develop neuroticism and neither neurotical defense mechanisms. On the other hand, neuroticism and defense mechanisms share their evolution in the onthogenesis. The lack of negative correlations between defense mechanisms and neuroticism reflects the features of defense mechanisms when comparing them to coping mechanisms; so, as characteristiscs of the defenses we could mention the rigid and constrainable, under the pleasure of the past, bringing the psychological modification of the present reality, the wrong orietnation of the experiences and reactions, the denial of the logic, a magical way of thinking, the focus on anxiety and not on solving the problem, obtaining benefits by subterfuges.
Considering the hypothesis concerning the possible correlations defense mechanisms – personal values, we have obtained a number of positive and negative, significant correlations. Here we are going to mention the more significant and interesting ones, as we consider them from the point of view of the objectives of this investigation.
So, the self sacrifice factor correlates negatively significantly with the esthetic value type. The person uses the defense echanisms pf this factor when wanting to be socially desirable, the image resulting being the one of benefactor or martyr. The adaptive style registers a strong positive correlation with the theoretical value type; the theoretical type uses mainly superior defense mechanisms, like humour and suppression, which have a strong theoretical support. The same defense style registers a negative correlation with the religious valoric type; this relation could answer the hypothesis according to which the valoric types per se could be non-experiential taking-overs of moral ideals socially cultivated and there is no generation of superior adaptations. Concerning the correlations of valoric types with separate defense mechanisms, an interesting one should be the one between the theoretic type and humour: humour, unlike joy, generated a positive affective inner experience, but with changed object; that is why it is possible to make good cheer of a negative situation as it is posibile to have fun in a positive situation, but in the first case interferes a dissonance between the situational stimulus (generating anxiety) and the experience lived by employing the humour (a positive one). The dissonance is sustained in the first place by the “running away from the affect”. The humour, as an intelectual activity above all (as manipulation and game of classes and categories of knowledge) is employed much more easier by the theoretical type on his way of solving dead-end situations. The esthetical type registers one negative significant correlation with the denial defense. Being confronted, due to the nature of his experience, with esthetic values, this valoric type will have a discriminative and solving capacity bigger than, for example, the one of the thoretical type. This means that he will accept easier his emotional experience and so he will have less conflicts to deny. The religious type has positive correlation with undoing and a negative one with suppression. In the case of the first correlation mentioned, the regret of the error, of the non-observance of the religious norms must be compensated: the sins must be compensated by good deeds with the function of undoing the sin. In the case of the second correlation, the negative one with suppression, accepting the religious values means the confrontation with many ill-fated realities makes the religious type more prone to confront with his conflicts, of recognizing his own mistakes by the means of accpeting the divine ubiquitousness. For the social type we will mention its positive correlation with the regression as defense mechanism: the social type, being dominantly emotional, when not receiving the others (exterior) gratification, resorts to regression, as he doesn´t has the saving theoretical background of the theoretic and/or religious type, not the strength of the political type, nor the “emotional non-investment” of the economic type in dealing with emotional conflicts. Th economic valoric type registers significant possitive correlations with the splitting defense and the projection one. This valoric type is dominated by the utilitarian and practical aspects and these aspects get in conflict with non-practical but very real needs; in this case he gives up satisfying them, but this doesn´t mean that they dissapear, and this is what leads to conflict which generates the internal splitting. In the second case and connected with what we have mentioned here above, the subject is not willing to invest his resources into satisfying these non-practical and useless needs, he keeps them not away from conscience and the conflicts that these unsatisfied needs generate are projected on the exterior.
Concerning the global use of defense mechanisms, this has a negative significant correlation with the esthetic valoric type, which could be explained by the fact that the values of the esthetic type are abstract ones, but, unlike the ones of the thoretic type, these values offer also an emotional satisfaction; that is why they generate fewer and weaker emotional conflicts which would require the development of defenses.
Selective ReferencesAllport, G. W. (1991), The Structure and Development of Personality, EDP, Bucharest
Ionescu, S., Jacquet M.-M., Lothe, C. (2002), Defense mechanisms – Theory and Clinical Aspects, Polirom, Iasi
Newton, H. M. (1971), The Contribution of Gordon Allport to the Psychology of Religion, Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation, 23, 99-104, http://www.asa.org
Taylor, J. G., Parker, J. D. A., Bagby, R. M. (2003), Relationships between alexithymia and related constructs, http://kubnw5.kub.nl/web/fsw/psychologie/emotions2003/2/h10.pdf
Tucker-Ladd, C. E. (2003), Psychological Self-Help: http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/
http://web.uccs.edu/hmizuno/default.htm