The psychology of compensation.

Abstract

The integrity of the personality depends upon the successful maintenance of a state of equilibrium among the conflicting forces that threaten to destroy the balance. Pleasure and pain, egoism and altruism, materialism and idealism, all strive to establish themselves in experience. Needs upset the psychic stability; their fulfillment marks its restoration. Avenarius illustrates the principle of equilibrium in discussing attention. A problem arouses a man's interest; he becomes restless under the perplexity; the solution of the problem restores his peace of mind. 1 The feeling of inferiority indicates the presence of a need or problem for which compensatory activities seek a satisfactory solution. Old age, youth, wealth, poverty, health, and sickness all have their typical modes of compensatory behavior. Mental health is preserved by minimizing the disturbing influences which deficiencies exert upon the mind. Compensation is a defence reaction.Compensation is essentially a resolution of conflicting impulses. "As a mental mechanism, motivating conduct and moulding personality, compensation ranks high in importance." * Its manifestations are familiar to every observer of human nature. Socrates remarked that his flat nose permitted him to see better. The blind develop a supernormal tactual sensitivity because they must rely upon their touch sensations to guide them. A man who has poor eyes cannot read widely but where his knowledge may be lacking in the breadth of its perspective it may be superior I 8u>h, W. T., 'Avenariu« and Pure Experience,' Arch. Phil., 1905, No. *. Rignano's principle of physiological invariability and Ribot'i law of organic correUtioni are other statements along the same line. 1 Pratt, G. K., 'Your Mind and You,' p. 21.

Identity Construction on Social Networks Through the Prism of Defense Mechanism “Overcompensation”

“…In this study social networks are regarded as an environment for compensatory communication, which aims to harmonize the communicative world of the individual if he/her lacks for close emotional ties with people and suffers from deficiency of close, intimate, trusting relationships, that is to say, that is usually experienced in loneliness (Gladyshev, 2001). An important element in studying compensatory communication is a special focus on its pragmatic aspect, that is longing for self-affirmation and gratification of emotional hunger (Vaughan, 1926).…”

Some compensatory mechanisms of the negro.

“…In a recent article entitled "The Psychology of Compensation'' the following statement is made: "An individual who realizes that he is deficient in one field sets out to conceal that incapacity by training his ability in another direction The weakling becomes a scholar, the plain woman develops a pleasing disposition, the bore practices thoughtfulness of others Socrates made up foi his homeliness and domestic indolence by cultivating a beautiful soul. When a man fails to succeed along general lines, he turns to the training of his special abilities as a refuge " (2) Vaughan has called attention further to the fact that the very integrity of the individual's personality depends upon the successful maintenance of some degree of equilibrium among the conflicting forces that threaten to destroy the balance.…”