Denying unpleasant situations to protect oneself is an example of which psychological coping mechanism?

• A. Avoidance
• B. Denial
• C. Suppression
• D. Projection

Answer: (A)

This question tests how coping strategies handle stress by staying away from or delaying dealing with distress. Denying unpleasant situations to protect oneself fits avoidance: a person withdraws from or postpones facing the stressful situation to reduce immediate discomfort. It’s about keeping the distress at arm’s length rather than refusing to accept reality. Denial would involve flatly refusing to believe the situation is real, suppression is a conscious push-away of thoughts, and projection is blaming others for one’s own feelings. The act described focuses on avoiding exposure to the unpleasant reality, which is why avoidance is the most fitting description.