PERSONALITY

ADJUSTMENTS AND
MALADJUSTMENTS

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Adjustment
Definition; L.S. Shaffer
Adjustment is the process by which living
organism maintains a balance between its
need and the circumstances that influence the
satisfaction of these needs.

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Conflicts and Adjustments
There are three types broad types of adjustive
process when a conflict arises between a
persons internal need and environmental
demands.

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Conflicts and Adjustments

Adjustive processes
1. Modify or inhibit the internal impulse
2. Try to alter the environmental demands to
resolve the conflict
3. Escape through unconscious resources by
mental mechanisms (defence mechanisms)

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Social adjustment
It refers to ones adjustment to his social
surroundings. It is as essential as ones
adjustment with himself of herself.
A socially adjusted person can get along with
others.

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Social adjustment
Ones social adjustment starts from his
parents and it continues with siblings,
Family members,
Members in the neighbourhood,
Friends, classmates, colleagues etc.
It is essential for his own welfare and of the
society.

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Methods of adjustment
Methods of adjustment can be grouped into
two as
Direct method and
Indirect method

Direct method
Direct methods are employed by the
individual intentionally at the conscious level
They are rational and logical
They help to find a permanent solution for the
problem faced by the individual

Indirect method
Indirect methods are those methods by which
an individual tries to seek temporary solution
to protect him from a psychological problem.
These are known as defence mechanisms

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Defence mechanisms

Definition: Arkoff
Certain patterns of behaviour
that are employed for protection
against threat or anxiety
are called defence mechanisms or
adjustment mechanisms.

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Defence mechanisms
Sometimes
they are referred to as
ego defence mechanisms,
since they serve to defend
the ego or the self
from the threat.

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Defence Mechanisms
Repression
Regression
Compensation
Rationalization
Projection
Identification

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Defence Mechanisms
Reaction formation
Sublimation
Aggression
Day dreaming

Defence Mechanisms
Repression
It is a mechanism in which painful
experiences, conflicts and unfulfilled desires
are pushed unconsciously into our
unconscious.
Eg., forgetting unconsciously a broken love
affair

Defence Mechanisms
Repression
One unconsciously forget the tension
producing situation
Tries to get temporary relief believing that the
tension producing situation does not exist any
more

Defence Mechanisms
Regression
It is going backward or returning to the past.
In this process an individual tends to regress
to his early childhood or infantile responses in
order to save himself from mental conflicts
and tensions
A man with broken love affair starts to love
dolls or indulge in childish behaviours

Defence Mechanisms
Compensation
It is a mechanism by which an individual tries
to balance his deficiency in one field by
exhibiting his strength in another field.
E.g. Napoleon was a dwarf. He became an
emperor.
Weakness in learning is compensated by
trying to be selected for playing in major
teams

Defence Mechanisms
Rationalization
It is a defence mechanism by which a person
justifies his unjustifiable behaviour. He gives
socially acceptable excuses for it and attempts
to defend himself.
E.g. A child blames teacher or parents for his
failure

Defence Mechanisms
Projection
It is a defence mechanism through which one
tries to attribute his or her inferior impulses or
traits in other persons or objects.
E.g. A person who is a liar criticizes others for
lying.
A person with immoral behaviour exaggerates
the immoral behaviour of others.

Defence Mechanisms
Identification
In this mechanism one finds satisfaction by
recognizing himself or herself as a member
associated with other successful individuals,
group or institution.
E.g. An individual who failed in an examination
tries to find satisfaction by praising the
standard of the school where he studied.

Defence Mechanisms
Identification
E.g. Hero worship to conceal ones
weaknesses and find satisfaction in the
success of the hero.

Defence Mechanisms
Reaction formation
It is a defence mechanism by which one
conceals his or her natural impulses which he
finds threatening to his existence or peace of
mind and behaves just opposite to his natural
impulses.

Defence Mechanisms
Reaction formation
E.g. A mother who doesnt like her child due
to its deformity shows more love towards the
child by taking care of it to over come her
dislike.

Defence Mechanisms
Sublimation
It is one of the most significant and socially
accepted defence mechanism.
In this mechanism one channelizes his or her
repressed and unattained wishes, impulses,
drives and emotions in socially accepted ways.

Defence Mechanisms
Sublimation
E.g. Poets write elegy on the death of their
dear ones.
One who fails in love affair gets involved in
some noble and voluntary services in order to
get rid of the bad effects of his emotions.

Defence Mechanisms
Aggression
It refers to expression of ones angry
behaviour through verbal dialogues or
physical attacks or through both.
One uses this as defence mechanism when he
fails to deal effectively with other persons,
situations and problems.

Aggression
When it is used as defence mechanism one
can deal effectively for the time being with
other persons, situations and problems even
though it will follow negative consequences
later.
It is a behaviour directed towards the goal of
harming another living being.

Teachers role to reduce aggression among

students.
Present oneself before them as a non
aggressive model.
Comfort the victims and ignore aggressors.
Discuss the effects of aggression on other
peoples feeling.
Discuss the right to equality among students.
Set up projects that encourage co-operation.

Teachers role to reduce aggression among

students.
Teach students to negotiate when there is a
conflict.
Convince the students that they do not
benefit or profit from aggression.

Fantasy or Day dreaming

It is a kind of withdrawal of ones self from
threatening realities into his or her private and
satisfying world of imagination
An individual may turn to daydreaming or
fantasy when his life is uninteresting and
frustrating for him.

Fantasy or Day dreaming

It permits him to escape to a dream world
where he is able to achieve what ever he
desires in his imagination.

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Maladjustments
It represents a condition or state in which one
feels that his needs are not fulfilled and/or
will not be fulfilled and he has been a failure
in establishing harmony with his self and the
environment

MALADJUSTMENTS
The maladjusted person may exhibit serious
behavioural and adjustment problems causing
harm to the wellbeing of himself and others
One remain adjusted when his physical and
psychological needs are satisfied.
When his needs are not satisfied he may
become maladjusted.

MALADJUSTMENTS
Causes of Maladjustment
It can be classified into two
1. Personal
2. Environmental

MALADJUSTMENTS

Personal Causes
Hereditary factors
Defective mental makeup
Structure of body
Colour of skin
Constitutional defects

MALADJUSTMENTS

Personal Causes
Physiological and physical factors
Poor health
Lack of vitality
Physical deformity
Chronic diseases
Bodily defects

MALADJUSTMENTS

Personal Causes
Nature of the individual
1. Unrealistic aims and goals
2.Lack of social maturity
3.Lack of emotional maturity
4.Frustrations and desperations

MALADJUSTMENTS

Personal Causes
Nature of the individual
5.improper setting of level of aspiration
6.Unresolved conflicts and contradictory
desires

MALADJUSTMENTS
Environmental Causes
1. Improper behaviour of parents and elders
towards the child
2. Uncongenial and defective home
environment

MALADJUSTMENTS
Environmental Causes
3. Defective social and cultural setup of the
environment
4. Uncongenial and defective school
environment

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Role of Teachers
Ensure balanced growth and development
Provide opportunities for satisfaction of basic
needs
Make them aware of their strength and
weakness
Inspire them to set a goal in life

ADJUSTMENTS AND MALADJUSTMENTS

Role of Teachers
Develop tolerance to face tensed situations
Help them to realize the importance of
satisfying the demands of society and culture
Provide healthy environment
Offer guidance and counselling as and when
needed

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