Five-year-old Jenny told her mother, "Kate doesn't like me," when in actuality, Jenny doesn't like Kate. What defense mechanism is Jenny using?

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Projection refers to the process of attributing undesirable thoughts or actions to someone else and, in the process, distorting reality; "She did it, not me" is a projective statement. "He wants to hurt me" may seem more acceptable than "I want to hurt him." Projection thus sets the stage for a distorted form of self-defense; for example, "If he wants to hurt me, I'd better do it to him first."

Five-Year-Old Jenny Told Her Mother, "Kate Doesn't Like Me," When