Final answer:
Defense mechanisms are unconscious processes used by the ego to reduce anxiety and stress by managing conflicts between the id and superego.
Step-by-step explanation:
Defense mechanisms are Freudian processes designed to reduce anxiety and stress. Sigmund Freud's theory suggests that the ego uses these mechanisms to handle conflicts between the id (primitive desires) and superego (moral standards). For example, if we experience undesirable thoughts or feelings, the ego may employ defense mechanisms such as repression, reaction formation, or regression without our conscious awareness to keep us feeling safe and less anxious.
In the case of repression, distressing memories are blocked from consciousness, akin to turning up the radio to drown out a bothersome car noise. Reaction formation involves behaving in a way that is opposite to one’s actual feelings, like making fun of a peer for traits they themselves possess. Regression is another ego defense mechanism where an individual exhibits behavior typical of an earlier developmental stage when faced with stress.