Prejudice and phobia: two similar modes of compensation characterizing neurotic lifestyles

Abstract

Some neurotic symptoms can be caused by certain ways of compensating for insecurity. Through defense mechanisms, people are able to fulfill one of their universal needs, namely that of consistency. Unlike defense mechanisms, compensations are autonomous behavioral units, and therefore more complex, and may also contain defense mechanisms. Both compensations and defense mechanisms are found in prejudices and phobias, and this article, including a couple of clinical cases, helps to understand some common elements