Coping Vs Defensive
Let us contrast them to emphasize the complexities of adjustment. In contrast to defensive behavior, in which some threat is reduced largely in the imagination, coping involves active mastery; it is essentially the same as adjustment, as we have implied. One of the reasons coping behaviors seem so complex is that they are so individual; every person copes differently. Some people learn how to perceive their wants and life-styles with a minimum of distortion, ""hile others have difficulty in doing so. Some people are very intolerant, while others are quite open to new experiences. And some react with calm and deliberate thought to serious problems, yet fly off the handle when faced with a minor inconvenience.
We can think of coping as a system, composed of accurate perceptions, a memory bank of relevant experiences, and behavior strategies programmed for efficiency. Such a system involves planning to see that appropriate alternatives for action are included. Coping is a positive process; not so defensive behavior. which is negative in many ways. Coping is a forward-looking process, in contrast to the backward look of defensive, substitute adjustments. Defending the past, for most of us, is not as productive and satisfying as is relating to the future in a practical way. This wili become increasingly clear as we take a look at maladjustment in the following chapter, which deals with abnormal psychology.
