FAA Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI)Human Behavior and Effective CommunicationMedium
An aircraft owner is told by his mechanic that a wing spar shows early signs of corrosion that should be repaired before further flight. The owner continues to fly the aircraft, telling himself the mechanic must be exaggerating and that everything is really fine. This behavior is an example of which ego defense mechanism?
- ARationalization
- BCompensation
- CDenial
- DDisplacement
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Denial
Denial is refusing to acknowledge an unpleasant reality altogether, even when presented with clear evidence. The owner is not making excuses; he is simply refusing to believe the problem exists.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Rationalization would involve making an excuse for continuing to fly, not outright disbelief of the fact.
- B. Compensation involves offsetting a weakness with strength elsewhere, not refusing a fact.
- D. Displacement redirects emotion toward an unrelated target, which is not shown here.
Denial
An ego defense mechanism in which a person refuses to accept an unpleasant or threatening reality, despite clear evidence.
- Protects the individual from anxiety by rejecting facts
- Can be dangerous in aviation when safety issues are ignored
- Differs from rationalization, which excuses rather than denies facts
Memory trick: Real Dogs Chase Postmen Rapidly (Repression, Denial, Compensation, Projection, Rationalization, Reaction formation)