Which defense mechanism is demonstrated when an obese patient constantly points out when other people are eating unhealthily?
Projection
Introjection
Suppression
Displacement
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is Projection.
Projection is a defense mechanism in which an individual attributes their own undesirable thoughts, feelings, or behaviors onto others. In the case of an obese patient constantly pointing out when others are eating unhealthily, they may be unconsciously transferring their own feelings of guilt, shame, or frustration about their eating habits onto others. Instead of confronting their own behaviors or struggles with food, the patient externalizes these feelings by criticizing others.
This defense mechanism helps reduce internal anxiety or cognitive dissonance. It allows the individual to distance themselves from the uncomfortable reality of their own behavior by focusing on the behaviors of others. In this case, the patient may be avoiding the discomfort of acknowledging their unhealthy eating patterns or weight-related issues by projecting these concerns onto others.
To clarify, introjection involves internalizing the beliefs or values of others, often to the point where the individual starts adopting them as their own. Suppression refers to the conscious effort to push uncomfortable thoughts or emotions out of one’s mind. Displacement involves redirecting emotions from a source of stress or anxiety to a less threatening target, such as taking out frustration on a friend when upset with a boss.
Projection, however, is more about projecting one’s own feelings, desires, or conflicts onto others, which is what the patient in this scenario is doing by focusing on the unhealthy eating habits of others instead of addressing their own.