Fred constantly complains that no one trusts him. In reality, Fred does not trust others. He does not really trust himself. The anxiety created by his own lack of trusts leads him to subconsciously attribute that fault or responsibility to others. Defending himself by disguising his own threatening feelings and impulses in this way is calleda. regressionb. repressionc. reaction formationd. projectione. denial

In psychology, and specially in the school of psychoanalysis, the term projection refers to a defense mechanism in which the individual defends himself/herself against anxiety generating impulses by denying them in themselves and thinking they belong to others. In other words, they reject their feelings in themselves and think that it is the others the ones who posses these impulses/thoughts/attitudes.

In this example, Fred does not trust others or himself. This lack of trust generates anxiety but instead of assuming his lack of trust, he attributes this to the others. Therefore, he is defending himself from this anxiety thinking it is the other people the ones who do not trust himself. Defending himself by disguising his own threatening feelings and impulses in this way is called projection.