An overweight male college student is unable to participate in competitive sports. Although he can't be a sports hero, the student becomes the life of the party when socializing. This student also uses his student loan to purchase a new sports car. The student is displaying:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The student is displaying compensation, which is a defense mechanism where an individual overachieves in one area to compensate for failures in another. In this case, the student compensates for his inability to participate in competitive sports by excelling in social situations and purchasing a sports car to boost his self-esteem.

An Overweight Male College Student Is Unable to Participate in Competitive