Question 1

Mack feels empty because he can never bear children and will play only a small role in raising them.Karen Horney calls this ____.

Accepted Answer

Karen Horney introduced the concept of "womb envy," which is the feeling of sadness or anger that some men experience because they cannot bear children like women do. This is different from "penis envy," which is the feeling of jealousy or longing that some women experience because they do not have a penis. The Electra complex and the Oedipal complex are both concepts from Freudian psychology that describe the unconscious desires or conflicts that some individuals have with their opposite-sex parent.

Question 2

Cameron is under a great deal of stress at work because of several upcoming deadlines.He is worried that he might be fired if he cannot meet the deadlines.He has reacted to his anxiety by smoking constantly and overeating.According to Freud,Cameron is fixated at the ____ stage of psychosexual development.

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's theory of psychosexual development, the oral stage occurs from birth to around 18 months. During this stage, a child's primary source of pleasure and tension release comes from their mouth and sucking. Adults who are fixated in this stage may have oral fixations, such as smoking or overeating, as a way of seeking oral stimulation and tension release. Therefore, Cameron's constant smoking and overeating as a response to stress suggests that he is fixated at the oral stage of psychosexual development.

Question 3

Little Rashidat gets out of his bed and tries to get into his parents' bed so he can snuggle with Mommy.Yesterday,he threw a tantrum because Mommy would not let him shower with her.He has also been acting fearful toward his father.According to psychodynamic theory,little Rashidat is going through the ____ stage.

Accepted Answer

The phallic stage is characterized by a focus on the genital region and the Oedipus or Electra complex. Children may exhibit sexual attraction to the opposite-sex parent and fear or hostility toward the same-sex parent. Little Rashidat's behavior towards his mother and father is consistent with this stage. The oral and anal stages occur earlier in development and do not typically involve Oedipal or Electra dynamics. The genital stage occurs later in development and involves the mature expression of sexual impulses rather than the conflicts and fantasies of the phallic stage.

Question 4

Larry is always talking on the phone,eating,drinking,smoking,or biting his fingernails.According to Freud,Larry is probably ____ fixated.

Accepted Answer

Larry's behaviors of constantly eating, drinking, smoking, and biting his fingernails all involve his mouth, indicating fixation in the oral stage according to Freud's psychosexual development theory.

Question 5

Darth Vader had the Death Star built to destroy planets,but unconsciously,the space station made up for his feeling inferior to his old Jedi master,Obi Wan.Darth Vader is exhibiting the ____ ego defense mechanism.

Accepted Answer

Compensation is a defense mechanism where one tries to make up for a perceived weakness or deficiency in one area by excelling in another area. In this case, Darth Vader may have felt inferior to Obi Wan's superior knowledge and skill in the ways of the Force, and therefore compensated by building a powerful superweapon that could destroy entire planets.

Question 6

Slater is unconsciously attracted to Kelly,but he already has a girlfriend.When Screech accuses Slater of being attracted to Kelly,Slater says,"No way,man! We're just friends,that's all!" What ego defense mechanism is Slater exhibiting?

Accepted Answer

Slater is exhibiting the defense mechanism of denial, where he is rejecting or denying his true feelings towards Kelly to protect his current relationship and avoid any potential conflict or guilt.

Question 7

One afternoon,Aaron eats hours-old Chinese food out of a garbage can.When his more sensible co-workers voiced their shock and disgust,Aaron replied,"It was in a styrofoam container,and there was nothing but paper in the trash can!" What defense mechanism was Aaron using?

Accepted Answer

Aaron is engaging in rationalization by justifying his behavior and downplaying the negative aspects of eating food from the garbage can.

Question 8

Freud explains that the stage in which sexual desires become conscious is called the ____ stage.

Accepted Answer

The genital stage is the final stage in Freud's psychosexual development theory, where sexual desires become conscious and are directed towards others.

Question 9

Jolene comes home from a hard day at school and complains that Bill,a fellow sixth-grader she likes,doesn't seem to like her.In fact,she says,he isn't interested in any girls and all he seems to want to do is solve math problems and play kickball.Jolene's mother just laughs and says,"Bill must still be in the ____."

Accepted Answer

Jolene's mother's response suggests that Bill is in the latency period, which is the stage in which sexual impulses lie dormant as children focus on developing social and intellectual skills. This stage occurs between the ages of 6 and 11, which is the age range of sixth-graders like Jolene and Bill. Therefore, choice C, latency period, is the best answer. Choices A, B, and D are not supported by the information given in the scenario.

Question 10

Felix has always been attracted to his best friend's girlfriend Rita.From all outward appearances,though,Felix seems to really dislike Rita.Felix is likely employing what defense mechanism?

Accepted Answer

Reaction formation involves expressing the opposite of one's true feelings or desires. In this scenario, Felix is attracted to Rita but expresses dislike towards her, which is an example of reaction formation.

Question 11

Darrin always feels angry.However,instead of recognizing his anger,Darrin believes that the people around him are angry.He is utilizing the defense mechanism of ____.

Accepted Answer

Darrin is projecting his own feelings of anger onto the people around him, rather than recognizing and acknowledging his own emotion. Projection is a common defense mechanism in which individuals attribute their own unacceptable or unwanted thoughts, feelings, or impulses onto others.

Question 12

A teacher is excessively neat,always insists on washing the blackboard before and after class,and always cleans the classroom after his lectures.According to Freudian theory,the teacher may be suffering from a(n)____.

Accepted Answer

According to Freudian theory, an anal fixation can be characterized by excessive cleanliness, orderliness, and the need for control. The behavior of the teacher described in the scenario is consistent with this. The teacher's need to wash the blackboard before and after class and clean the classroom after lectures can be seen as an attempt to exert control over his environment and maintain order.

Question 13

Five-year-old Tauja says she wants to be a stockbroker just like her mother and marry a man just like her father when she grows up.A Freudian would say that Tauja is showing evidence of ____.

Accepted Answer

The Electra complex, according to Freudian psychoanalytic theory, involves a girl's psychosexual competition with her mother for possession of her father. Tauja's desire to marry a man like her father reflects this concept.

Question 14

Gary is a very sloppy person.His side of the dorm room is always a mess,with clothing thrown all over the floor.In contrast,his roommate,Rajesh,is an extremely neat person.For Rajesh,everything on his side of the room must be in its place,with CDs organized alphabetically.Freud would say Gary is fixated in the ____ stage,and Rajesh is fixated in the ____ stage.

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's psychosexual stages, the anal stage (ages 1-3) is characterized by a focus on toilet training and the development of control over bowel movements. Individuals who become fixated in this stage may develop traits such as obsessive cleanliness and orderliness or messy, disorganized behavior. Therefore, Gary's messy behavior suggests fixation in the anal stage. Similarly, Rajesh's desire for organization and order also suggests fixation in the anal stage.

Question 15

Buffy,the Vampire Slayer,is finding herself physically attracted to Spike,a local vampire.Buffy frequently insults Spike,expresses her contempt for him,and occasionally beats him up.Buffy's behavior is best illustrated by which Freudian defense mechanism?

Accepted Answer

Reaction formation is a defense mechanism where a person expresses the opposite feeling of what they truly feel. In Buffy's case, she is physically attracted to Spike but expresses contempt for him, insults him, and beats him up. This behavior is the opposite of her true feelings towards him, indicating the use of reaction formation as a defense mechanism.

Question 16

Cole has a difficult time maintaining relationships,especially with authority figures.According to Freud's psychodynamic theory,Cole is most likely fixated at the ____ psychosexual stage of development.

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's psychodynamic theory, the phallic stage (ages 3-6) is a critical period for the development of the Oedipus or Electra complex, where the child's focus of pleasure shifts to the genitals and they develop feelings for the opposite-sex parent and view the same-sex parent as a rival. If this stage is not resolved successfully, it can lead to difficulties in relationship formation and maintenance, particularly with authority figures.

Question 17

At about age four,Bart begins to find his mother Marge quite sexually attractive.He feels the urge to kill his father Homer,so that he doesn't have to share his mother.However,Bart fears that Homer might get angry and retaliate against him.According to Freud,Bart is experiencing the ____ complex,which occurs during the ____ stage of development.

Accepted Answer

Bart is experiencing the Oedipal complex, which is characterized by a child's sexual attraction to the opposite-sex parent and hostility towards the same-sex parent. This complex occurs during the phallic stage of development, which typically occurs from ages three to six. During this stage, children become aware of their own gender and begin to develop their sexual identity.

Question 18

Oedipus has gotten over his unconscious desire for his mother and is consciously experiencing strong sexual feelings for girls his own age.According to Freud's psychosexual stages,Oedipus is most likely in the ____ stage.

Accepted Answer

Oedipus is in the genital stage according to Freud's psychosexual stages. This stage occurs during puberty when sexual interests mature towards others of the same age, indicating a move beyond the earlier stages focused on self and family (such as the Oedipal complex in the phallic stage).

Question 19

Karson's parents always told him he was stupid,and he developed a fear of appearing stupid to other people.As a result,Karson works very hard at school.According to Freud,Karson's hard work in school is an example of the ____ defense mechanism.

Accepted Answer

Compensation is a defense mechanism in which an individual tries to make up for their perceived shortcomings or weaknesses by excelling in other areas. In this case, Karson's fear of appearing stupid has driven him to work hard in school, which is an example of compensation.

Question 20

After Daniel balloons to a weight of 450 pounds,he becomes very stressed.When confronted about his stress and weight problem by his wife,he said,"It is healthy for me to maintain this weight because I'll live longer if a famine occurs." What defense mechanism is Daniel using?

Accepted Answer

Daniel is using rationalization as a defense mechanism by justifying his excessively overweight body as a benefit in the event of a famine. This is a way for him to make himself feel better about his weight and to avoid confronting the underlying issues that led to his weight gain.

Quiz 13: Personality