SUBLIMATION Meaning and
Definition
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Sublimation is a psychological defense mechanism that involves redirecting or channeling one's undesirable or unacceptable impulses, thoughts, or feelings into more socially acceptable and constructive outlets. It is a process by which an individual discharges or transforms their internal conflicts, unmet desires, or unconscious wishes into productive and culturally appropriate activities.
In the context of Freudian psychoanalysis, sublimation occurs when one's primal or instinctual impulses, such as aggression or sexuality, are redirected into creative, intellectual, or artistic pursuits. By sublimating these thoughts or desires, an individual finds healthy and socially acceptable ways to express themselves.
Sublimation is often considered a higher-level defense mechanism as it allows individuals to transform their negative or forbidden desires into something positive, constructive, or even beneficial for society. For example, a person with aggressive tendencies may sublimate those aggressive impulses through competitive sports, while someone with sexual fantasies might turn their focus towards creating art or writing literature.
This psychological concept has also been extended to sociological and cultural contexts, where it is seen as a means of transforming or redirecting collective impulses or drives towards productive and desirable outcomes, such as in art movements or social reform movements.
Overall, sublimation is a psychological process that involves the redirection of one's unconscious, unacceptable desires into acceptable and constructive outlets, serving as a defense mechanism against the potentially harmful effects of unexpressed or repressed emotions.
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1. The process of vaporizing a solid substance by heat and then condensing it, a process of purification by separating the non-vaporizable impurities; a process analogous to the distillation of liquids. 2. Freud's term for the diversion of certain components of the sexual instinct to a higher and non-sexual aim.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
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• The operation of bringing a solid substance into the state of a vapour by heat and condensing it again; blue sublimate, a preparation of mercury, sulphur, and salammoniac, used in painting; corrosive sublimate, a very poisonous preparation of mercury.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for SUBLIMATION
Etymology of SUBLIMATION
The word "sublimation" has its origins in Latin and is derived from the combination of two Latin words: "sub", meaning "under/below", and "limen", meaning "lintel/door" or "threshold".
In Latin, this word combination, "sublimare", referred to the act of lifting or raising something to the lintel or threshold of a door. Over time, the meaning of "sublimare" evolved and was used more metaphorically to indicate a process of purification or refinement, often through the conversion of a solid substance directly into a gas (the opposite of condensation).
In the mid-16th century, the word "sublimation" was adopted into English from Latin, with its current meaning referring to the process in chemistry where a solid substance is transformed directly into a gas without going through a liquid phase.
Similar spelling words for SUBLIMATION
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