Freud proposed that the ego defends the individual against anxiety by pushing sexual and aggressive urges out of consciousness. This defense mechanism is called:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The defense mechanism described in the question is repression. Repression involves pushing unacceptable or anxiety-provoking thoughts or impulses out of conscious awareness, and is one of the most fundamental defense mechanisms proposed by Freud. Displacement involves redirecting emotions from a threatening target onto a less threatening one, while denial involves refusing to acknowledge the existence of a stressful situation or emotion. Projection involves attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or impulses onto someone else.

Freud Proposed That the Ego Defends the Individual Against Anxiety