Which of the following represents common defense mechanisms?

The correct answer identifies a set of defense mechanisms commonly recognized in psychology. Defense mechanisms are unconscious strategies that individuals use to protect themselves from anxiety and uncomfortable emotions.

Repression involves burying distressing thoughts and feelings in the unconscious mind, effectively keeping them out of conscious awareness. Denial allows a person to ignore or refuse to accept reality or facts that might be distressing. Projection involves attributing one's own undesirable feelings or thoughts onto someone else, which can relieve the individual of direct confrontation with those feelings. Rationalization is a cognitive distortion that allows a person to justify behaviors or feelings in a logical manner, thereby reducing personal accountability or guilt.

These mechanisms serve important functions in coping with psychological stress and maintaining emotional stability. In contrast, the other options consist of unrelated terms that do not represent defense mechanisms or are focused on methods and processes that are not connected to psychological defense strategies.