Which defense mechanism is characterized by the refusal to accept reality or facts?

Prepare for the Civil Air Patrol Staff Sergeant Leadership Test. Use multiple-choice questions with explanations and hints. Ace your exam now!

The defense mechanism characterized by the refusal to accept reality or facts is denial. Denial allows individuals to protect themselves from uncomfortable truths by rejecting or ignoring them. This often serves as a coping strategy to avoid facing difficult emotions or situations, such as grief, loss, or addiction.

For instance, a person dealing with a serious medical diagnosis might say they believe they are perfectly healthy, thus refusing to confront the reality of their situation. Denial can manifest in various forms, including minimizing a problem or avoiding discussions about it entirely, enabling individuals to temporarily escape from emotional pain or anxiety associated with certain realities.

In contrast, the other options represent different mechanisms: suppression involves consciously pushing away thoughts and feelings but can still acknowledge reality; withdrawal is a behavioral response to stress by distancing oneself; intellectualization involves a cognitive approach to problems where emotions are ignored in favor of rational analysis. These mechanisms do not specifically entail an outright refusal to accept reality, which distinguishes denial as the correct response.

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