Rationalize

I've learned a lot from our Abnormal Psychology subject a while ago, about the different kinds of rationalization which is one of the defense mechanisms.(Thanks Sir B.!!!)

Rationalization - a form of defense mechanism wherein an individual justify his/her shortcomings/faults/actions; giving reasons for your actions.

Types of rationalization:

1. Sour-Grape - "sour to sweet"; when a person encounter a negative situation he/she tries to escape it through looking at the other option he/she may have.

      i.e. A guy who was rejected by someone he likes will say that "there are other girls out there who is better than her" or "probably I deserve someone better" well in fact he really likes that girl.

2. Sweet-Lemon - "sweet-sour"; a person who is in the negative situation tries to escape through looking the positive side of it.

       i.e. You were enrolled in a public school, you tried to rationalize the situation through saying that "the teachers are kind to me" or "my schoolmates are very friendly" even if you really don't want to be in that school.

3. Comparison - when a person looks for the faults of others to defy his/her failure.

     i.e. A perfect example of it is when the results of your exams were given to you and you got a failing grade, to lighten yourself you tend to ask your other classmates what are their scores and if you found out that you are not the only one who failed it justify your failure. You reason out as "I am not the only one who failed." or "I got a higher grade compared to others who failed"

4. Doctrine of Balance - when a person rationalize the situation through saying that for every negative events happened to you there will always be a positive event that will happen and vice versa.

    i.e. When you failed in a love relationship, you rationalize through saying that "Anyway I am a successful person" or "At least I am a dean's lister".

5. Predestination - the person perceived him/herself to be "born to be" in a particular situation; another way of consoling themselves.

    i.e. A person who is poor all his life would say "I am born to be poor" or "I was destined to be like this".

6. Procrastination - a person rationalize his/her situation as a delayed success; a postponed achievement

    i.e. When a businessman is bankrupt, he rationalizes the situation through saying "I will make it in the future" or "I will do better next time."

7. Exception - when a person sees himself as an exception to that negative situation he is in to; he sees himself as not part of the "rule" or that it is not his characteristic.

     i.e. A student is a consistent honor before and it was his first time to fail in his whole life, he will rationalize it through saying "I am really not dumb by the way it was my first time to fail."

8. Symphatism - a person perceives himself to be a pathetic person and everyone is against him, he want people to symphatize with him.

    i.e. A person who feels that he is being neglected by his family, he always sees himself in a pathetic situation, he tends to rationalize through saying "they are making my life miserable" or "I am the protagonist here..symphatize with me"

*lectured by Sir B. (Sept.06,2006)