After Linus failed several courses and then dropped out of college near the end of his first year, he told his friends that he had been planning to transfer to a smaller school anyway. Linus is engaging in the defense mechanism of ____.
A) sublimation
B) reaction formation
C) projection
D) rationalization

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Linus is using rationalization as a defense mechanism to justify his dropping out of college. Instead of acknowledging his failures and taking responsibility for them, he is coming up with a seemingly logical reason for his decision to transfer to a smaller school.

After Linus Failed Several Courses and Then Dropped Out of College