Hypercompensation, one of the protective mechanisms of the human psyche, helps to get rid of feelings of inferiority. Like all unconscious defense mechanisms, this response is not ideal. It does not solve the problem, but disguises it, and at any moment it can fail or aggravate the state of the personality.
What is overcompensation
The term “overcompensation” was coined by the Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler. Literally, this word is translated as “overdisplacement”.
Overcompensation is an exaggerated manifestation of a quality that causes feelings of inferiority and allows one to be exalted over others. It is often an unconscious, non-human-controlled mechanism. And sometimes the person himself admits that he wants to prove, revenge, surpass. Examples of overcompensation:
- obsession and talkativeness of a shy person;
- sexual promiscuity of a girl who is afraid of intimate relationships;
- demonstrative and inappropriate behavior of an insecure person;
- aggression of a passive and weak person;
- risky behavior of an indecisive person;
- the desire of a frail guy to gain muscle mass in order to “pile” on the offenders.
In case of overcompensation, a person exerts too much effort to overcome his real or imagined defect (complex), which translates into its opposite. Moreover, the last, extreme degree of the opposite. For example, a person who feels his dependence and dependence turns into a tyrant.
Out of control overcompensation harms the personality. She sends girls to the operating table of a plastic surgeon, makes men constantly risk their lives to confirm masculinity, etc.
There are also positive manifestations of overcompensation. Those who feared heights become rock climbers, and those who feared dogs become tiger trainers. Or a child, hounded by classmates, becomes an outstanding scientist.
Overcompensation and compensation
Compensation is a defense mechanism similar to overcompensation, but in this case there is a desire for success in another area.
For example, men compensate for short stature with large cars or long-legged models. And little Napoleon became a conqueror for the same reason. Or a woman who has not realized herself as a person goes into raising children and running the house.
Of course, this is not a strict criterion and not an indicator. It cannot be said that any housewife or a man with a big car will compensate for their “ugliness”. Still, psychology is not an exact science. But the fact remains: just as a person with poor eyesight sharpens his hearing, so a physically weak person sharpens the desire for intellectual development.
This type of protection is less dangerous. Especially with correct compensation. For example, when an outwardly unattractive girl is able to win over herself due to her intellectual abilities.
Reasons for overcompensation
The source of overcompensation is an inferiority complex. He, in turn, is formed in childhood. Anything becomes the reason for the conviction of a person in his own defectiveness, but in total two groups can be distinguished:
- real physical handicap;
- fictional flaw.
Experiences about a real lack are formed on the basis of criticism of the environment, reproaches, remarks, insults. Overweight, birthmarks, crooked teeth, disability are common causes of child bullying.
Fictional flaws and a feeling of general inferiority are formed with destructive family upbringing, more often overprotection or rejection. Violence in the school, the rejection of the child by the class, makes its contribution. In general, feelings of helplessness and insecurity, dislike are sources of an inferiority complex.
It should be noted that authorities have a separate influence. A girl may not react in any way to remarks about being overweight until her lover reproaches her for this. The result is trauma, overcompensation in the form of anorexia.
The influence of social stereotypes, attempts to “comb everyone with one comb,” ignoring individual and personal characteristics also contributes to the formation of a feeling of inferiority and the impossibility of achieving success in life without those qualities that the individual lacks. As a result, he tries to develop those abilities, the inclinations to which, perhaps, are not present. Instead of productively realizing oneself in the area to which there are inclinations.
Signs of overcompensation
The integral elements of overcompensation are:
- egocentrism;
- arrogant behavior;
- boasting.
Depending on the compensated trait, loud speech is added, provoking behavior, promiscuity or pretentious appearance. Anyone who doubts his own erudition, is always clever, inserts his “five cents”. And if you ask him something in more detail, he hesitates, since he has not yet learned anything except the tops and the illusion of knowledge. And it happens, and vice versa, a person is really so smart that he turns into a bore.
Overcompensation forces a person to humiliate others, make them feel worthless. The spheres and ways of realizing this aspiration are different, but the goal is the same everywhere. A person with overcompensation feels significant only in conditions of superiority over others, their humiliation.
Outcomes
Thus, overcompensation presupposes getting rid of the deficiency and developing in this area for several more steps. For some it helps to achieve success in life, but for others it ruins life. Overcompensation is the transformation of an inferiority complex into a complex of superiority over other people.
Overcompensation does not allow a person to grow and develop, to build full-fledged relationships. Instead of productive interaction, a person is busy with asserting himself at someone else’s expense. Gradually he finds himself alone, isolated from society. This translates into neuroses and depression, mental disorders. Overcompensation requires high personal costs, which over time leads to mental and physical exhaustion.
The protective unconscious mechanism of overcompensation must be replaced with rational problem solving. That is, overcoming the inferiority complex and adequate personal self-realization (art, science, sports, cooking, fashion, etc.).
