Jake's girlfriend just broke up with him and Jake does not appear to be upset at all. Jake keeps talking about the strength of character he has developed and the interesting way in which his girlfriend decided to break up with him. Jake may be employing the ______________ defence mechanism.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jake is using intellectualization by focusing on the intellectual aspects (the strength of character he's developed, the interesting way the breakup happened) rather than confronting his emotions directly. This defense mechanism involves dealing with emotional stress by engaging in excessive abstract thinking to avoid experiencing difficult feelings.

Jake's Girlfriend Just Broke Up with Him and Jake Does