A student who fails a test blames the teacher for not explaining the material well, even though they didn't study.What defense mechanism is this? Denial Displacement Rationalization Projection

## Step 1<br />The problem presents a scenario where a student fails a test and blames the teacher for not explaining the material well, even though they didn't study. This is a classic example of a defense mechanism, which is a psychological strategy that individuals use to cope with reality and maintain their self-image.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The defense mechanism in this scenario is rationalization. Rationalization is a defense mechanism where an individual provides logical or rational reasons to justify behaviors, thoughts, or feelings that are actually driven by unconscious motives.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />In this case, the student is using rationalization to justify their failure by blaming the teacher, rather than admitting their own lack of preparation. This is a common tactic used to avoid feelings of guilt or shame.