Compartmentalising is the act of assigning tasks, issues or phenomena into separate sections or categories.

Now it should be noted that taking this application to the extreme can result in psychotic or immoral behavior like justifying criminal acts,affairs, or deceptions by separating ethics from behavior choices. That is NOT the kind of compartmentalising Im referring to

Im talking about the kind we apply unconsciously everyday , especially for work or home projects.

But Im realising how helpful it can be in SOME relationship situations as well , whether it be with friends, family or mates.

I have friends who dont like each other, but not for value based reasons. Its more personality clashes. I have chosen to compartmentalise their relationship with each other from their individual relationships with me, and get along great with them both.

I have friends who have opposing ideologies from mine, but I compartmentalise their ideologies from my general respect and affection for them as human beings.

In a relationship, I compartmentalise one thing my partner does wrong from the essence of who they are and what they demonstrate overall regarding compatible value systems.

If Im going through a crappy time in my life, I comparmentalise it from my overall blessings in life , which continue to be numerous.

How much do you practice compartmentalising in your own life?

Or are you more inclined to dismiss, insult or isolate yourself from things or people who offend your sensibilities?

I believe that type of compartmentalizing is just how the brain naturally functions. It is easier to function and recall when things have some 'organization' to them.

I have been told I have above average patience. I do expect a certain mutual respect to develop with others though. If enough things happen and enough time passes to prove that such a mutual respect is not going to happen, I will erase them, emotionally or physically, from my life.

One area I actively compartmentalize is..angst.
If I am in a bad situation that calls for action,
I will allow myself 24 hours before even pondering
it, just a valve to mitigate the problem, you know?

Then it is easier to face..after my time out :-)

totally agreed Ms H :)

As much as I compartmentalise to maintain harmonious relationships, I would never hold on to connections that sabotaged my fundamental values, or my emotional or physical welfare

As little as I can functionally get away with.
Compartmentalizing simply = creating a facade.
A social personality or facet is developed to deal with whatever has been compartmentalized.
Those require constant effort and motivation to perpetuate and cause stress whenever there is conflict.


Depends on the people and what relationship I want to have with them.

I'm more inclined to dismiss strangers.

I'm more inclined to isolate myself from coworkers who have different ideologies.

I'm more inclined to insult or argue with the people I care about in an attempt to assert my own position until some tolerable compromise can be achieved, based on how relevant the issue is to my identity.
The more important it is to me, the less tolerant and compromising I am, the more I am inclined to withdraw/isolate from the relationship rather than compartmentalize that portion of it.

It also depends on the function and purpose of the relationship.
I am non religious. I have friends that are religious or "spiritual but not religious."
Religion is not central to their identity and purpose as a person.
There's a lack of proselytizing.
In the normal function of the relationship, in the course of interacting, religion does not come up. Not because anyone is avoiding it, simply because it's not relevant to anything we do or say.
If that were to change, and religion became more of a focus of the interaction, motivating the interaction, proselytizing, I would not compartmentalize, I would insult and argue, or withdraw/isolate from the relationship.

I think I often let things slide, primarily because I feel I've a unique view of the world. However, once I feel that someone's actions and vocalisation are disrespectful of who I am as a human being, they've got to go.

I don't tend to use that word for what you are describing


but..if you can look at a situation or a person
and decide for yourself to see the positives
then ya I do this daily

Do you realize how much trouble you can get into in 24 hours?

I do something similar soufie

Anytime I am highly offended by an action from a friend or mate, I take a day or more to compartmentalise my feelings from the person's behavior. I find that we women often take things very personally , and worry way too much about nothing, so I part ways with my angst temporarily to talk myself down from my inner -crazy :)

I'm with Tmommy, in that I think you've extended the idea of compartmentalization outside of what I use it for.

Psychological compartmentalization is usually a form of self-deception, in my way of thinking. In situations where I choose what subjects to stay away from while interacting with certain people, I'd call that something else for sure. No need for a fancy word, maybe just "avoiding unnecessary and unproductive conflicts."

I think in social situations, where we don't invite friends of ours who can't abide each other to the same events, isn't compartmentalizing them. That's more like sorting or segregating.

I also wouldn't use "compartmentalize" to refer to what soulfie talked about, where I purposely delay my responses to events. Since "compartmentalize" in it's primary meaning, refers to a person who locks information away from their own awareness, it doesn't work for purposeful delays in order to work up the best response.

But I'm certainly with you overall, in the tremendous usefulness of mindful sorting and organizing.

I guess it is kinda creating a facade ciretom, until you can sort out your feelings and a healthy response , but its a temporary facade that I dont mind erecting for the greater good.

And you are right. Is harder to practise the compartmentalisation I described with people you are super close with . The closer you are to a person is the more you feel compelled to make them believe what you believe

Since the game is amateur psychology lets add rationalize and denial too

look at someone and see them for all that they are

strengths, weaknesses, flaws, quirks, positives and negatives

and then decide for yourself

whether you choose to spend time with them or not


nothing amateur about it

Oh yeah. No disagreement there Funky. As I told Ms H, I would never hold on to any connection that sabotaged my values or emotional or physical welfare.

Im sure there is a more suitable term for it Tmom, but I guess I was just looking at the process alot of people engage in before deciding to dismiss or embrace a person or situation, and the image I had in my head was of people lumping the good and the bad together so that the former is irrevocably corrupted by the latter.

I have no idea what to call that dynamic lol

You can get into a lot more trouble with a rash reaction Max.

Believe that lol

Amen sista :-)
I also put a hold on angry phone calls until I have
tossed them around a while..just to make sure :-)

Compartmentalisation, logic - left mind

Creative, organic, natural - right mind

Holistic, spherical - Higher mind

The best way. You forget most of the things you wanted to say anyway when you're fuming with someone.

Isn't all this just another way of asking, how diplomatic are you?

I stand corrected...stand being the optional word...I may be doubled over in agony, begging for mercy.