The use of psychological defense mechanisms in politics; necessities of understanding the behavior of politicians

The aim of the present text is highlighting the importance of psychological defense mechanisms in identifying politicians’ behaviors. Everyone uses psychological defense mechanisms in everyday life, especially in sensitive situations; politicians are not also an exception to this condition. But the way the defense mechanisms are used are different. Identifying that how different defense mechanisms are used, especially among politicians, can reveal a part of political behavior in the past and present. Therefore, the main hypothesis of the present study is recognizing the political behavior of politicians through the psychological defense mechanisms which provides an important tool for identifying their personality. Those politicians who use immature and neurotic defensive mechanisms pose more risks to their community and international events. In contrast, those politicians who use mature defensive mechanisms for political positions will have a more confident political behavior. In the present study, using the memoirs and works of some people in politics of Iran and the world, we have examined a totality in their behavioral attitudes. Totally, most of the politicians, especially in closed governments, have immature psychological defenses. Thus, the effects these individuals personally make on collective behavior and politics is institutionalized in the collective psychological structure for a long time; so the political situation of society leads towards development or unpleasant political consequences.