A defence mechanism in which a person justifies his unjustifiable behaviour by giving acceptable reasons is:

UPPSC 2023

Applied Psychology

Easy

Appeared in: UPPSC 2023

Explanation

Rationalization is an ego defense mechanism where a person substitutes an acceptable conscious motive for an unacceptable unconscious one.
It involves making excuses or providing a logical-sounding reason for a behavior to hide the true, less acceptable reason.
This mechanism protects the individual's self-esteem by helping them avoid guilt or the reality of their failure or unacceptable action.
A classic example is the story of the fox and the 'sour grapes,' where the fox, unable to reach the grapes, decides he didn't want them anyway because they were probably sour.

Option A: Regression involves reverting to an earlier, more childish pattern of behavior in the face of stress, not creating logical excuses for current behavior.
Option B: Undoing is an attempt to 'take back' or atone for an unacceptable thought or action with a subsequent action. It does not involve justifying the original behavior.
Option D: Projection involves attributing one's own unacceptable feelings or impulses to someone else. It is about blaming others, not making excuses for oneself.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Definitions of Psychological Defense Mechanisms helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses frequently encounter defense mechanisms in patients who are anxious, in denial about their illness, or non-compliant with treatment. Recognizing these mechanisms is crucial for therapeutic communication.
Identifying rationalization helps the nurse to gently explore the patient's true feelings and barriers to care. For instance, a patient might rationalize skipping their medication by saying, 'I felt fine, so I didn't need it.'.
What if? If the patient did not justify their behavior but instead blamed the nurse for their high blood sugar reading ('Your machine must be broken'), the defense mechanism would be Projection. The nursing approach would then shift to de-escalating blame and refocusing on the patient's health.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of definitions from psychology.
First, carefully read the stem and identify the key action: 'justifies...unjustifiable behaviour by giving acceptable reasons'.
Break down the keywords: 'justifies' and 'acceptable reasons'. This points to a cognitive process of making excuses or creating a 'rationale'.
Evaluate each option against this definition.
Regression is reverting to a past behavior (incorrect).
Undoing is trying to cancel out an act (incorrect).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Definitions of Psychological Defense Mechanisms
Stem keywords: defence mechanism, justifies, unjustifiable behaviour, acceptable reasons
Lead-in keywords: is
Negative lead-in flag: false

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E6 Psychology Morgan King 9e Part 2 pp. 187-189, 188-190

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 3349-3351