Peculiarities of psychological defense mechanisms’ manifestations among educators

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to present a psychological analysis of the features of the mechanisms of psychological protection manifested by educators. The study analyzes theoretical approaches to studying the functioning of psychological defense mechanisms, including the approach of classical psychoanalysis, Neo-Freudianism, Transactional analysis, Gestalt therapy, Phenomenological approach to humanistic psychology, Interactionist approach, Psychoevolutionary theory of emotions, and approaches of domestic scientists. Empirical research has shown that teachers with different work experiences have the same protections. This indicates the invariability of their use of specific mechanisms in professional activities for a long time. But this gives reason to believe that the manifestation of certain psychological protections is inherent among educators. The links between the protective mechanisms used by educators and other psychological characteristics have been established. Relationships have been established between manifestations of projection mechanisms, denial of rationalization, avoidance strategy, and character accentuations such as exaltation, hyperthymic, emotionality, and cyclothymic.