The 12 Most Common Defense Mechanisms

Rationalization

Rationalization is somewhat similar to intellectualization because the ego has to use specific filters. The difference lies in recognizing the causal effects of the stressor. With intellectualization, a person would still recognize and understand the cause of the stressor as is, whereas if a person uses rationalization, the person supplies a new and more acceptable reason why the stressful event happen. In this aspect, it can also be said that it’s similar with denial. But with denial, recognition is absent.

It is possible that the person is not able to deal with the reason of the event, which is why a new reason is needed for the person to recognize that the event has happened. For example, a person got a really bad grade in her exams. She would just think that she was tired when she took the exam, and not because she lost her reviewer the day before the exam.