What reaction is known as denial in psychological terms?

Denial is a defense mechanism in psychological terms where an individual refuses to acknowledge painful emotions, thoughts, or situations. This response serves to protect the person from experiencing distress or anxiety that may arise from confronting uncomfortable truths. By rejecting the reality of a situation, the individual can avoid facing the emotional turmoil associated with it.

For instance, someone who has received a serious medical diagnosis might insist that they are perfectly healthy, thereby avoiding the emotional impact of the diagnosis. This refusal to recognize the reality of the condition exemplifies how denial serves as a coping strategy in the face of psychological pain.

The other options represent different psychological processes. Accepting reality is the opposite of denial, as it involves confronting and integrating uncomfortable truths into one’s understanding of life. Justifying behaviors relates to rationalization, where an individual attempts to explain away undesirable actions instead of acknowledging their motivations. Displacing feelings onto others involves transferring emotions from one individual to another rather than dealing with them directly. These mechanisms differ from denial, which specifically highlights the avoidance of acknowledgment of painful emotions.