Question

Abdul mistakenly believes that his classmates are unusually hostile. In fact, Abdul is the most quarrelsome and aggressive child in the school. According to psychoanalytic theory, Abdul's belief that his classmates are hostile is a ________.

Answer 1

Answer: Psychological Projection

Explanation: Psychological Projection can be easily defined as a defensive strategy (mechanism) where individuals ward off thoughts of unwanted or ill characteristics from them selves and attribute them to others. Psychological projection happens unconsciously, the superego can't take the fact that it's doing something wrong so instead it overturns the situation and believe that the opposite person is guilty of that unwanted trait.

According to psychoanalytic theory, Abdul's belief that his classmates are hostile is a psychological projection because in reality, Abdul was the most hostile student in the school.