,NU 160/NU160 Exam 2 | Mental Health Concepts
(2026) Q&A | Galen College
1. A student fails an exam and tells the instructor, "There was too much
material to cover." The nurse identifies this defense mechanism as:
A) Projection
B) Displacement
C) Rationalization
D) Denial
Correct Answer: Rationalization
Rationale: Rationalization involves creating a plausible but false reason to
justify an unacceptable behavior or outcome, such as blaming the exam's scope
rather than poor preparation. Projection attributes one's own feelings to others,
displacement redirects emotions, and denial refuses to acknowledge the failure.
2. A husband yells at his wife, who then scolds their child, and the child kicks the
dog. This chain of behavior illustrates:
A) Projection
B) Displacement
C) Rationalization
D) Regression
Correct Answer: Displacement
,Rationale: Displacement is the transfer of emotions from the original source to a
less threatening substitute. The anger moves down a perceived power
hierarchy. Projection attributes feelings to others, rationalization makes
excuses, and regression returns to earlier developmental behaviors.
3. A patient calmly describes a serious car accident in which she was injured,
showing no emotion. The nurse recognizes this as:
A) Dissociation
B) Isolation
C) Intellectualization
D) Denial
Correct Answer: Isolation
Rationale: Isolation separates the emotional response from the content of a
painful experience. The patient recalls the facts but blocks the associated
feelings. Dissociation involves a disruption in consciousness; intellectualization
focuses on logic; denial refuses reality.
4. A teenager daydreams about being a famous athlete instead of studying for
failing classes. This defense mechanism is:
A) Compensation
B) Fantasy
C) Identification
D) Sublimation
Correct Answer: Fantasy
, Rationale: Fantasy is distorting reality by retreating into an imaginary world to
escape real-world failures. Compensation involves making up for a perceived
deficiency through achievement, identification models behavior after others,
and sublimation channels impulses into productive activities.
5. A man who has aggressive impulses becomes a successful boxer. The nurse
recognizes this as:
A) Displacement
B) Reaction formation
C) Sublimation
D) Undoing
Correct Answer: Sublimation
Rationale: Sublimation channels unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable,
even valued, activities. Boxing provides an outlet for aggression. Displacement
redirects to a safer but not necessarily constructive target; reaction formation
expresses the opposite behavior; undoing tries to reverse a wrong.
6. A woman who fears she will be ridiculed by neighbors never leaves her
house. This is an example of:
A) Displacement
B) Projection
C) Suppression
D) Conversion
(2026) Q&A | Galen College
1. A student fails an exam and tells the instructor, "There was too much
material to cover." The nurse identifies this defense mechanism as:
A) Projection
B) Displacement
C) Rationalization
D) Denial
Correct Answer: Rationalization
Rationale: Rationalization involves creating a plausible but false reason to
justify an unacceptable behavior or outcome, such as blaming the exam's scope
rather than poor preparation. Projection attributes one's own feelings to others,
displacement redirects emotions, and denial refuses to acknowledge the failure.
2. A husband yells at his wife, who then scolds their child, and the child kicks the
dog. This chain of behavior illustrates:
A) Projection
B) Displacement
C) Rationalization
D) Regression
Correct Answer: Displacement
,Rationale: Displacement is the transfer of emotions from the original source to a
less threatening substitute. The anger moves down a perceived power
hierarchy. Projection attributes feelings to others, rationalization makes
excuses, and regression returns to earlier developmental behaviors.
3. A patient calmly describes a serious car accident in which she was injured,
showing no emotion. The nurse recognizes this as:
A) Dissociation
B) Isolation
C) Intellectualization
D) Denial
Correct Answer: Isolation
Rationale: Isolation separates the emotional response from the content of a
painful experience. The patient recalls the facts but blocks the associated
feelings. Dissociation involves a disruption in consciousness; intellectualization
focuses on logic; denial refuses reality.
4. A teenager daydreams about being a famous athlete instead of studying for
failing classes. This defense mechanism is:
A) Compensation
B) Fantasy
C) Identification
D) Sublimation
Correct Answer: Fantasy
, Rationale: Fantasy is distorting reality by retreating into an imaginary world to
escape real-world failures. Compensation involves making up for a perceived
deficiency through achievement, identification models behavior after others,
and sublimation channels impulses into productive activities.
5. A man who has aggressive impulses becomes a successful boxer. The nurse
recognizes this as:
A) Displacement
B) Reaction formation
C) Sublimation
D) Undoing
Correct Answer: Sublimation
Rationale: Sublimation channels unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable,
even valued, activities. Boxing provides an outlet for aggression. Displacement
redirects to a safer but not necessarily constructive target; reaction formation
expresses the opposite behavior; undoing tries to reverse a wrong.
6. A woman who fears she will be ridiculed by neighbors never leaves her
house. This is an example of:
A) Displacement
B) Projection
C) Suppression
D) Conversion
