Page 25 - ISABS Here and Now
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Immature Defenses despite his personal favors, the boss Acting Out
promotes someone else, Mohit is
Immature defenses are one of the most convinced that the other person got the Suresh is the elder of two brothers. He
common set of defense mechanisms. promotion because that other person did helps his father in his business. But then
These are called immature defenses more personal favors for their boss than one day his father announces that in his
because these occur the most in what Mohit did. So, when he meets with will he has decided to keep a bigger share
adolescents. As adolescents mature to be this person after that person has just for Suresh's younger brother. Suresh's
adults, such defense mechanisms tend to emerged from the boss's office, Mohit father thinks that his younger son should
be replaced, first by neurotic defenses, says, "What were you doing inside: get more share because he is young and
and later, if the individual has truly buttering the boss?“ helpless, while Suresh is quite capable of
developed, into Mature defenses. creating his own life.
Passive Aggression
One other reason why these defenses are Suresh is very angry about this but he
called immature defenses is because the When the boss calls out to Mohit, Mohit does not say anything outwardly. That
use of these defenses annoys and irritates makes it appear that he has not heard the evening, when he takes his car out, he,
others. This is one reason why boss calling him. And when he does meet without any reason, bangs his car against
adolescents are found to be irritating both the boss, and the boss scolds him for his a cycle parked on the side of the road,
by parents and teachers. poor quality work saying, "You are an mangling it in the process.
idiot, Mohit", Mohit makes a stupid
Examples of immature defenses include expression implying, what can he do, he
the following: was born like that.
Projection Mohit is angry with his boss, but he does
not express his anger in any way, except
Let's take a hypothetical example. Mohit by passively working against the wishes of
has just started working, and he wants to his boss.
get promoted quickly. He thinks if he does
some personal favors for his boss, his boss
will promote him. But when he sees that
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