Whether Use of a Defense Mechanism Is Adaptive or Maladaptive

question 32

Multiple Choice

Whether use of a defense mechanism is adaptive or maladaptive often depends on

• A) the user's age.
• B) whether the user distorts reality.
• C) whether the user is aware of the defense mechanism.
• D) the user's gender.

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Definitions:

Learned Helplessness

A condition in which a person suffers from a sense of powerlessness, arising from a traumatic event or persistent failure to succeed.

School Achievement

The measure of academic performance and the attainment of educational objectives set by educational institutions for students.

Belief Preservation

The tendency for people to hold onto their beliefs even when faced with contrary evidence, also known as belief perseverance.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to underestimate the importance of situational influences and to overestimate personal, dispositional factors as causes of behavior.