Which of the following defense mechanisms is Marissa using when she

says “So what if I broke her stupid toy? She’s always bothering me when I
want to play video games and no one should have to put up with that all
the time.”
(1 point)
compensation
denial
reaction formation
projection

1 answer

Marissa is using the defense mechanism of rationalization. While this specific term is not listed in your options, her behavior can be linked to concepts like projection if we consider that she seems to be projecting her feelings about the other person's behavior onto the justification for her own actions. However, the most accurate option that aligns closely with her justification would be rationalization, as she is trying to justify her actions by blaming the other person's behavior.

If you have to choose from the provided options, projection could be seen as a closer fit, as she is attributing her feelings of frustration towards the other person, but rationalization would still be the preferred answer if available.