Rationalization

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Rationalization

Explanation

Rationalization helps a person justify specific behaviors or decisions that may not be acceptable to the conscious mind.

Examples

A woman interviews for a job that she really wants, but after the interview is over and she is not offered the position, she claims that she really did not want the job anyway. Rather than admitting to herself that she may not have conducted the interview in an appropriate manner or did not have the necessary skills or experience the employer was seeking, she portrays the situation as one where she is the decision-maker. This distortion of the situation helps her minimize potential feelings of failure, inadequacy, or inferiority.



Or

the creation of a logical explanation for an illogical/unacceptable feeling or behavior, thereby repressing/dismissing the initial feeling or behavior.