Unconscious attribution of our negative qualities onto others is which defense mechanism?

• A. Projection
• B. Denial
• C. Regression
• D. Repression

Answer: (A)

Projection is a defense mechanism in which you unconsciously attribute your own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or impulses to someone else. This explains the statement because it describes unacknowledged negative qualities you see in others rather than in yourself, which is precisely how projection operates—shifting those uncomfortable traits outward. It’s often automatic, so you might not be aware you’re doing it.

Denial involves refusing to accept reality, not projecting it onto others. Repression pushes unwanted thoughts out of conscious awareness. Regression is returning to earlier, simpler coping strategies under stress. Each of these processes serves a different way of managing anxiety or internal conflict, but they don’t capture the act of labeling your own negative traits as belonging to someone else in the unconscious.