A doctor who sees patients suffering every day protects herself from being affected by her patients' pain by discussing them only in terms of distant, technical, medical terminology. This doctor's behavior is typical of ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The doctor's behavior is an example of intellectualization, which is a defense mechanism in which a person deals with emotional conflicts or stressors by focusing on the intellectual aspects and using logic and reasoning to distance themselves from the emotional components. In this case, the doctor is using medical terminology to detach herself emotionally from her patients and their pain.

A Doctor Who Sees Patients Suffering Every Day Protects Herself