Final answer:
Defense mechanisms involve the use of self-deception to guard against negative emotions. Examples include reaction formation, regression, and projection.
Step-by-step explanation:
Defense mechanisms involve the use of self-deception to guard against negative emotions. For example, one defense mechanism is reaction formation, where someone expresses feelings, thoughts, and behaviors opposite to their inclinations. Another defense mechanism is regression, where an individual acts much younger than their age to cope with anxiety. Lastly, projection is a defense mechanism where a person refuses to acknowledge their own unconscious feelings and instead sees those feelings in someone else.
Defense mechanisms are psychological strategies that individuals unconsciously use to protect themselves from anxiety, emotional pain, or threats to their self-esteem.