Page 301 - DMGT402_MANAGEMENT_PRACTICES_AND_ORGANIZATIONAL_BEHAVIOUR
P. 301
Management Practices and Organisational Behaviour
Notes Defence Mechanism: When individuals are involved in conflict with other human beings,
frustration often results. Defence mechanisms are common reactions to the frustration
that accompanies conflict.
(a) Aggressive mechanisms are aimed at attacking the source of the conflict. Some of
these are fixation, displacement and negativism.
(b) Compromise mechanisms are used by individuals to make the best of a conflict
situation. Compromise mechanisms include compensation, identification and
rationalization.
(c) Withdrawal mechanisms are exhibited when frustrated individuals try to flee from
a conflict using either physical or psychological means. Flight, conversion and fantasy
are examples of withdrawal mechanism.
The Table 14.2 below illustrates several defence mechanisms seen in organisations.
Table 14.2: Common Defence Mechanisms
Defence Psychological Process
Mechanism
Aggressive Mechanism
1. Fixation Person maintains a persistent, nonadjustive reaction even though all the
cues indicate the behaviour will not help in coping with the problem.
2. Displacement Individual redirects pent-up emotions toward persons, ideas, or objects
other than the primary source of the emotion.
3. Negativism Person uses active or passive resistance, operating unconsciously.
Compromise Mechanisms
1. Compensation Individual devotes himself or herself to a pursuit with increased vigour to
make up for some feeling of real or imagined inadequacy.
2. Identification Individual enhances own self-esteem by patterning behaviour after
another's, frequently also internalizing the values and beliefs of the other
person; also vicariously shares the glories or suffering in the
disappointments of other individuals or groups.
3. Rationalization Person justifies inconsistent or undesirable behaviour, beliefs, statements,
and motivations by providing acceptable explanations for them.
Withdrawal Mechanisms
1. Flight or Person leaves the field in which frustration, anxiety, or conflict is
experienced, either physically or psychologically.
withdrawal
2. Conversion Emotional conflicts are expressed in muscular, sensory, or bodily symptoms
of disability, malfunctioning, or pain.
3. Fantasy Person daydreams or uses other forms of imaginative activity to obtain an
escape from reality and obtain imagined satisfactions.
Source: Timothy W Costello and Sheldon S. Zalkind, “Psychology in Administration: A Research
Orientation”, Journal of Conflict Resolution, III (1959) Page 148–149.
Coping with Difficult People: Many interpersonal conflicts arise when one person finds
another person’s behaviour uncomfortable, irritating or bothersome in one way or another.
Robert Baramsom has identified seven basic types of difficult people that may be
encountered at work.
The Table 14.3 presents the seven types of difficult people, along with suggestions for
coping with them.
296 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY