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Peter Masters |
Peter Masters |
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Projection (defence mechanism)
| Penetration |
| Engagement |
| Consent |
| Communication |
| Power |
| Authority |
| Control |
| Trust |
| Fetish |
| Defence mechanisms |
| Mapping motivations to activities |
Projection, along with denial and identification, is a well-known psychological defence mechanism which can be used by our unconscious when an aspect of our identity is under psychological threat in some way.
People are social animals and that it's common for people to form social groups and to spend time with each other. Each individual can be a member of many different social groups, for example:
- A group which meets at church,
- A group of workers who regularly have lunch together,
- A group of friends who get together on weekends to go fishing,
- A group of people with the same hobby (such as sailing), and so on.
A person's identity and idea of self-value is often connected to the groups to which they belong.
In times of doubt or uncertainty, or when they are experiencing difficulty in other areas of their lives, a person may look to the groups which they belong to for reinforcement or extra support. When that person is with a particular group they may tend to focus on or over-emphasise how other members of the group have similar interests or characteristics to the person themselves. In other words, they tend to project aspects of themselves onto others, possibly creating things in common which don't actually exist, or which do exist but not to the same extent which the person imagines. In this way they can feel a closer and stronger bond with the group and this makes them feel more secure.
