An individual expressing his failures and difficulties by blaming others is known as?

RRB Nsg. Superintendent 21 July 2019 (shift 1st)

Applied Psychology

Easy

Appeared in: RRB Nsg. Superintendent 21 July 2019 (shift 1st)

Explanation

Projection is a defense mechanism where a person unconsciously attributes their own undesirable or unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or failures to someone else.
The core action described in the question is 'blaming others' for personal 'failures and difficulties'.
This directly matches the definition of projection, as it involves shifting the responsibility for one's own shortcomings onto an external party to protect one's ego.
For example, a person who is feeling insecure about their own performance might accuse their colleagues of being incompetent.

Option A: Repression involves unconsciously blocking or 'forgetting' unpleasant thoughts and memories. It is an internal process of pushing information out of awareness, not externally blaming others.
Option C: Sublimation is a mature defense mechanism that involves redirecting unacceptable impulses into socially productive and acceptable behaviors. It is a constructive process, unlike blaming.
Option D: Denial is the refusal to accept or acknowledge a painful reality. The person in denial simply acts as if the failure or difficulty does not exist, rather than acknowledging it and blaming someone else.

Visual 1: Flowchart - A flowchart illustrating the process of projection: 1. Individual experiences an unacceptable thought/failure. 2. Anxiety is generated. 3. The thought/failure is attributed to an external person/object. 4. Anxiety is relieved.
Visual 2: Diagram - A simple diagram with two figures. An arrow originates from Person A labeled 'My Fault' and points to Person B, with a speech bubble from Person A saying 'It's YOUR fault!'. This visually represents the concept of projection.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Defense Mechanisms in Psychology as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses frequently encounter patients and families using various defense mechanisms. Recognizing projection helps the nurse understand the patient's behavior is not a personal attack but a coping strategy.
By identifying projection, a nurse can use therapeutic communication to gently guide the patient toward insight without causing further defensiveness, fostering a better nurse-patient relationship.
Understanding these mechanisms is crucial in psychiatric nursing for assessing a patient's level of insight and ego strength.

How to Approach the Question

Step 1: Identify the core action in the question stem. The key phrase here is 'blaming others' for 'failures and difficulties'.
Step 2: Recall the definitions of the four defense mechanisms provided in the options.
Step 3: Match the action of 'blaming others' to its corresponding definition.
Step 4: 'Projection' is defined as attributing one's own unacceptable qualities to others. This is a direct match.
Step 5: Briefly check the other options to confirm they do not fit. Repression is forgetting, sublimation is redirecting, and denial is refusing to see the problem. None of these involve blaming others.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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