1. Projection is a defense mechanism in which a person attributes their own negative impulses or internal feelings onto others and ignores them in themselves. John Bender is a perfect example of many defense mechanisms, specifically projection.
1.1. John has experienced a traumatic childhood. Neither of his parents seem to show him any affection and his father even goes so far as to be abusive. This causes him to be insecure about his upbringing and angry about the hand he was dealt in life. Throughout the movie he can be seen bullying the other characters by highlighting their insecurities. He dubs each character "princess, jock, the brain," etc. He tries to highlight their biggest insecurities in order to hide from his own. He makes Brian insecure by talking about his clubs as well as the fact that he is a virgin-same with Claire. He talks about Andrew wearing tights in wrestling. Instead of dealing with his own insecurities, he deals with them by projecting them onto others, showing how insecure everyone else around him is.
2. Psychoanalytic Perspective: Structure Structure of Personality
2.1. The id is a part of the structure of personality that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. The id operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification.
2.1.1. This is shown in the scene when The Criminal shows his affection toward The Princess in inappropriate ways. He looks up her skirt just to fulfill his sexual drive even though it is not socially acceptable.
3. Social-Emotional Development
3.1. Baumrind's Parenting Styles: Neglectful
3.1.1. Neglectful parents give no warmth or compassion to their children and they do not care what their child does. They are not involved in their child's life and distant. This does not provide for a healthy growth environment.
3.1.1.1. John Bender's describes how his parents treat him when he acts out his mom and dad swearing at him and abusing him. When Bender is imitating his father he says "Stupid, worthless, no good, goddamn, freeloading son of a bitch. Retarded, big mouth, know-it-all, asshole, jerk." and when he imitates his mother he states "You forgot ugly, lazy and disrespectful." Also you can tell that his parent do not care for him when they do not pick him up after detention is over or to drop him off before it starts, while all the other kids parents are picking up and dropping off their kids.
4. Defense Mechanism
5. Adolescent Egocentrism
5.1. Invincibility Fable
5.1.1. Invincibility Fable is when someone believes that nothing bad can happen to them because they are invincibile, or untouchable.
5.1.1.1. In The Breakfast Club, John Bender displays the invincibility fable when he repeatedly does actions that should cause harm but he thinks that he won't be affected by his bad actions. John Bender smokes in the library without thinking that he will face consequences. Another example is when he talks back to the teacher, which results in him getting added detentions. He keeps going and saying inappropriate things without thinking about the consequences even though the teacher threats him.
6. Social Psychology
6.1. Normative Social Influence
6.1.1. This a type of social influence which leads people to conform. This leads people to conform in order to be liked and accepted by them.
6.1.1.1. Claire and Bender are discussing how Bender would never be caught walking down the hallways with Claire because his friends would not approve of that. John Bender states "And as far as being concerned about what's gonna happen when you and I walk down the hallways of school together, you can forget it cuz it's never gonna happen."
7. John Bender exhibits observational learning by watching his dad. We know his father smokes because John has a cigarette burn on his arm that he says he got from his dad, and he tells Claire about the time his his dad gave him a pack of cigarettes for Christmas. Although John doesn't like his father and doesn't want to end up like him, he smokes as well. We see him smoking in the library and getting all of the other kids to do it as well. This is a clear example of observational learning and it shows how powerful it is specifically because even though John doesn't want to be like his father, he copies his behavior.
8. Social Psychology
8.1. Group polarization is the enhancement of a group’s prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group.
8.1.1. They all came in with the same attitude of hate of detention and being there on a Saturday. Through discussion, these beliefs were enhanced. The criminals and the others decided to take out the screw of their teachers door after discussing how much they hate him and the system.
9. Social-Cognitive Persepective
9.1. External Locus of Control
9.1.1. This is the perception that chance or outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate.
9.1.1.1. John Bender has an external locus of control because he believes that he does bad in school and acts out because of how his parents treat him at home. He has a bad home life which he believes makes him a criminal.