Studies of psyche in the plan of the avoidance of unfavorable actions were most in detail carried out by the psychologists of behavioral direction. For example, motivation behaviorists explain by the tendency to remove the internal stress, when appear any needs (Hull, 1929). The basis of the theory of the instruction it is "law of effect" (E. Thorndyke). The probability of the reproduction of the form of behavior grows according to this law, if this previously behavior led to the useful result (stress relieving).
If we consider any stimulus in its maximum manifestation as the damaging action, then the absolutely safe and absolutely useful factors of environment there does not exist and it cannot exist. It is faster, vice versa: any factor or any situation contain potential danger. In the essence, the psyche is the complex mechanism of tracking and estimation of the level of hazard of that, with which subject it encounters in the process of vital activity, although the external result of this work is manifested predominantly in the form of behavioral aspirations and to a lesser degree in the form of avoidance.
It seems that to the different travmiruyushchiye stimuli, the psyche reacts in an identical way, according to united diagram, similarly how to different damaging actions, organism reacts by stress - single complex of physiological and morphological changes.
With the excess of a certain limit of the damaging (stressing) action, the subject attempts him to avoid. If we it is impossible avoid, is included the mechanism of displacement, displacement, and then the inversions of emotions (transformation of negative emotion into the positive). The fact of displacement can be inevident. The process of displacement in the broad sense can be understood as the distance of danger in the retrospective plan, including those cases, when the illusion of the distance of danger is created. However, inversion reflects the process of the distance of danger "on the hot tracks" (also it does not manage without illusions).
Weakening danger can it concerns not only the displaced negative emotions, but also entire problem- situation as a whole. Since displacement - this is the temporary updating only of part of the problematic situation.
Let us note that the inversion of emotions and sublimation (formation of the prevailing motivation) as the phylogenetically fixed mechanisms, work on the lead. When dangerous situations yet did not arise, and basic needs were satisfied, process nevertheless is located in the development. The desire to approach the dangerous feature, to risk without the need, for that appears in order with the appearance of the needs, is actually vitally necessary, to know how to overcome dangerous situations, without a moment's hesitation, in the "automatic regime".
Under the natural conditions the hunger (strong motivation) forces animals to go to the searches for food. Fear to meet with the predator at this moment is weakened (it is inverted). After being satiated (motivation it disappears), animal again begins to fear the predators (it occurred the process, reverse of inversion). The need of safe leisure (new motivation) makes it necessary to climb to the tree. The fear of height is weakened (it is inverted). Such mental motions are distinctly noticeable only at the stage of the instruction. When automatism is manufactured, in similar situations already finished behavioral stereotypes will be used. Sublimation contributes to the formation of these stereotypes even when vital needs are satisfied (animal it continues to guard their territory, also, with the surplus of fodder; cat continues to hunt the mice, being satisfied, and so forth). However, with the appearance of real needs (under the action of the prevailing motivation), the oscillating motions of psyche - inversion and vice versa - will again become the standard of behavior. (See: Displacement, transfer, inversion, sublimation... )
Based on materials of Vladimir Ivanov's article
