Rationalization

In rationalization the reason offered is not the real one, but it is plausible enough to protect self-esteem — the classic example is a candidate who fails an interview and concludes the job was undesirable anyway, or a patient who continues drinking because 'wine is good for the heart'. It is classified among the immature defences alongside acting out, denial, displacement, projection, regression, splitting, and reaction formation. Distinguishing it from neighbouring defences is a common exam task: intellectualization discusses a new cancer diagnosis in terms of tumour staging statistics to avoid feeling; isolation of affect describes the traumatic event with no emotion at all; reaction formation converts an unacceptable impulse into its opposite, so hatred is expressed as excessive kindness; and displacement redirects the feeling onto a safer target. Mature defences, associated with better psychological functioning, are sublimation, altruism, suppression, and humour. Suppression is conscious and deliberate, unlike repression, which is unconscious.