Question

Welma is unable to accept the fact that she has been diagnosed with lung cancer. She refuses treatment despite her family's attempts to convince her. According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, Welma is unconsciously engaging in a defense mechanism called

a) Repression
b) Regression
c) Denial
d) Projection

Answer 1

Welma is using the defense mechanism of denial as described by Freud's psychoanalytic theory. Denial involves refusing to accept reality, such as a serious medical diagnosis, to protect the ego from anxiety. So the correct answer is option (C).

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, Welma is unconsciously engaging in the defense mechanism of denial. Denial is when an individual refuses to accept the reality of a situation, such as a diagnosis of lung cancer in Welma's case. It is a way for the ego to protect itself from things that it cannot cope with at the moment.

Meanwhile, other defense mechanisms include repression (blocking out painful memories), regression (returning to an earlier developmental stage), and projection (attributing one's own unacceptable feelings to others).

Denial is part of the five stages of grief, as described by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, and it can prevent individuals from moving forward with necessary treatment or preparations. Defense mechanisms are automatic psychological processes that protect individuals from anxiety and the awareness of internal or external dangers or stressors.