Temperament type and psychological defense mechanisms

Keywords: temperament, psychological defense, university students, adaptation, educational environment, variance analysis

Abstract

Introduction. The adaptation of university students to academic activities is a complex process, which is most pronounced in first-year students. The effectiveness of adaptation is associated with many factors, including the temperament type and psychological defense mechanisms. The paper presents the results of an empirical study of the relationship between temperament type and psychological defense mechanisms.
Materials and methods. The sample involved 113 first-year female students of the Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Management. Temperament types were identified with the Rusalov Structure of Temperament Questionnaire followed by the assessment of the relationship between temperament types (choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic). Psychological defense mechanisms were evaluated with the Life Style Index (LSI). Statistical data processing was provided by means of the Kruskal–Wallis test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and the SPSS Statistics v. 20. Results. This comparative analysis showed that each temperament type was characterized by its dominanting psychological defense mechanisms. In choleric female students, such a primitive mechanism as regression dominated, while displacement was of the least importance in sanguine female students. The level of compensation was of minimal importance for melancholics. In general, regression and displacement were dominating defense mechanisms in female students followed by compensation and projection. The relationship was found between temperament type and psychological defense mechanisms. Conclusion. The results obtained showed that each temperament type was characterized by its dominanting psychological defense mechanisms, which allowed to predict the features of psychological defense in female students depending on their temperament type.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Y. V. Gladyshev , Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Management (56 Kamenskaya Str., Novosibirsk, 630099, Russia)

Dr Sci. (Medical), Professor of the Department of Psychology, Pedagogy and Law

References

1. Zavertyaeva Yu.A. Features of the process of adaptation of first-year students in the socio-cultural environment of a modern university. Psihologo-pedagogicheskij poisk = Psychological and pedagogical search. 2018;3(47):185–191. (in Russ.).
2. Shklyarova A. A. The relationship of personal characteristics and adaptation of first- year students to higher education. Kontsept = Concept. 2017;12:120–124. URL: http://e-koncept.ru/ 2017/770235.htm (accessed: 30.10.2021). (in Russ.).
3. Gorbunova E. V. Adaptation of first- and third-year undergraduate /specialist students to university life. Universitas = Universitas. 2013;1(1):48–64.
4. Frejd Z. Psihologija bessoznatelnogo [Psychology of the unconscious]. SPb. Piter. 2004:390. (In Russ.).
5. Lima A.C.E.S, de Castro L.N. TECLA: A temperament and psychological type prediction framework from Twitter data // PLoS One. 2019:12;14(3):e0212844. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212844.
6. Michael B. Empirical studies of defense style: relationships with psychopathology and change. Harvard Review of Psychiatry. 2004;12(5):263–278. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10673220490886167.
7. Vaillant G.E. Ego mechanisms of defense and personality psychopathology. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 1994;103:(1):44–50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0021-843x.103.1.44.
8. Granovskaya R.M. Psihologicheskaja zashhita [Psychological protection]. Saint Petersburg: Rech. 2010:480. (in Russ.).
9. Rusalov V.M. Temperament v strukture individualnosti cheloveka. Differencialno-psihofiziologicheskie i psihologicheskie issledovanija [Temperament in the structure of a persons individuality. Differential-psychophysiological and psychological research]. Moscow, Institut psikhologii RAN. 2012:528. (in Russ).
10. Strelyau Ya.R. Rol temperamenta v psihicheskom razvitii [The role of temperament in mental development]. Moscow. 2012:207 (in Russ.).
11. Bond M., Perry J.C. Long-Term Changes in Defense Styles With Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Depressive, Anxiety, and Personality Disorders. Focus. 2005;(3):429–437. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.161.9.1665.
12. Kesstan B. Temperament and typology. Journal of Analytical Psychology. 2013;58(1):118–136. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5922.2013.02020.x.
13. Zwir I., Javier A.D. Uncovering the complex genetics of human temperament. Molecular Psychiatry. 2020;25(10):2275–2294. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-018-0264-5.
14. Cloninger R.C., Z. Igor. What is the natural measurement unit of temperament: single traits or profiles? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2018;19:373(1744). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0163.
15. Perevozkin S.B., Repina G.V. Features of the relationship of temperament with the mechanisms of psychological defenses in correspondence students, depending on gender. SMALTA = Smal. 2019;(1):55–61. (in Russ).
16. Aleksandrova L.A., Mihajlova V.P., Korytchenkova N.I., Kuvshinova T.I. The relationship of psychological defense and coping mechanisms with character accentuations, temperament type, emotional competence and aggressiveness. Vestnik Vestnik Kemerovskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta = Bulletin of Kemerovo State University. 2008;(4):75–83. (in Russ.).
17. Feoktistova S.V., Grigoreva I.V. Temperament and psychological defense mechanisms as components of the personality adaptation system. Vestnik Tverskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya Pedagogika i psikhologiya = Bulletin of Tver State University. Series Pedagogy and Psychology. 2017;3:174–178. (in Russ.).
18. Koteneva A.V. Personality defense mechanisms, gender and temperament type. Nauka i shkola = Science and school. 2010;(4):105-109. (in Russ.).
19. Agarkov V.A., Bronfman S.A. Interrelation of temperament properties and mechanisms of mental defense. Zhurnal prakticheskoj psihologii i psihoanaliz = Journal of practical psychology and psychoanalysis. 2009;(4):164–184. (in Russ.).

References on translit

-
Published
2022-07-05
How to Cite
Gladyshev, Y. (2022). Temperament type and psychological defense mechanisms. Psychology. Psychophysiology, 15(2), 115-123. https://doi.org/10.14529/jpps220210
Section
Psychophysiology