Section 7: Ghosts in the Nursery

Multiple-Choice Questions

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1. Why do children of hurtful parents sometimes blame themselves for abuse they suffered from their parents?

a. because of original sin
b. because they really did deserve being abused
c. because it is too frightening to believe the parent can't be trusted
d. because children can't think straight until they are grown-up



2. What long-term effects can be the result of hurtful parents?

a. low self-esteem
b. feelings of worthlessness
c. feeling unlovable
d. all the above



3. Of what value is the understanding of you're up-bringing and how it has influenced you?

a. it assists you to understand your past and will enable you to predict your future
b. it will help you become a better parent
c. it provides good information that you can use when writing a resume for a job
d. the information would be good to tell your grandchildren



4. What is meant by the term "ghosts in the nursery"?

a. some parents used to tell ghost stories to children when they went to bed
b. most children pretend they see ghosts in their room at night so that their parents will come back into their room several times
c. most of the time ghosts appear in a nursery
d. it refers to the thoughts and feelings that are buried deep in our minds since childhood which affect how we deal with others



5. What is meant by the term "defence mechanism"?

a. it refers to the ways in which a parent can defend or protect a child in his younger years
b. it refers to things we do to deflect our thoughts or feelings away from situations or ideas that are uncomfortable for us
c. it refers to a part of the brain where a certain mechanism allows us to think clearly
d. it refers to people who have always been defensive because they are paranoid



6. Reaction formation refers to the behaviour of a person who is trying to ward off anxiety-causing and unacceptable impulses. To do this the person:

a. will often stutter
b. will speak out against the behaviour which he himself is trying to suppress and will usually over emphasise his opinion
c. will make excuses for his behaviour
d. none of the above



7. A child who is severely disciplined by the teacher at lunchtime then goes to the cafeteria and deliberately starts a fight with another student. What defence mechanism might the child be using?

a. suppression
b. denial
c. displacement
d. minimising



8. Which of the following situations is an example of the defence mechanism called "diversion"?

a. a person who gets drunk everyday says they do not have a problem with alcohol
b. a person who fails their drivers exam says the examiner just didn't like them
c. when a wife asks her husband to talk about a problem they have been experiencing, he says that he has to go outside to water the lawn
d. none of the above



9. Which of the following situations is an example of the defence mechanism called "rationalisation"?

a. a person who gets drunk everyday says they do not have a problem with alcohol
b. a person who fails their drivers exam says the examiner just didn't like them
c. when a wife asks her husband to talk about a problem they have been experiencing, he says that he has to go outside to water the lawn
d. all of the above



10. Why should we attempt to become familiar with the defence mechanisms that we ourselves use?

a. by increasing our awareness of defence mechanisms we can come to understand ourselves better and keep ourselves honest
b. by knowing our defence mechanisms well we can teach our children how to develop them
c. by knowing our defence mechanisms, we can use them to get ahead in business and social situations
d. by knowing how we use defence mechanisms, we can become more skilled in using them