How to Identify Projection and Lack of Self-awareness

What triggers some people to project? What can be done to prevent someone from projecting? Continue reading to find out.

According to Karen R. Koenig, M.Ed, LCSW, projection refers to unconsciously taking unwanted emotions or traits you don’t like about yourself and attributing them to someone else.

Examples of projection

Usually, different individuals do projection differently. Here are some specific examples of situations in order to understand the concept of projection in a more illustrative way:

i) If you interrupt someone’s conversation while they were continuously talking then they may attack you by saying that you are not a good listener and you are seeking attention from others.

ii) At the workplace if you excitedly support a concept of a project and any of your coworkers may be accusing you of constantly demanding your way, even if you mostly agree with their views.

iii) Your employer asserts that you might be lying about your working hours spent on a project while they are the ones cutting corners and missing deadlines.

iv) An unfaithful partner who accuses their spouse of infidelity. Rather than just accepting responsibility for their own indiscretions, they project this on their partner.

TYPES OF PROJECTION

There are three forms of projection that are often used:

i) Neurotic projection

One of the most obvious forms of projection is neurotic projection, which certainly fits the description of a defensive mechanism. In this form of projection, individuals may project their thoughts, intentions, or attitudes that they find undesirable in themselves onto others.

ii) Complementary projection

This type of projection arises when people presume that others feel the same way they do. For instance, a person of a certain political movement may assume that their friends and family members share similar views as them.

iii) Complimentary projection

Complimentary projection is the idea that other individuals can achieve the similar kind of stuff as they can. For instance, a skilled pianist may assume that other piano students can perform competently like him/her.

Projection Techniques

A projector may employ certain tactics to avoid admitting guilt. Here are some projection tactics that projectors may employ against you:

Someone may intimidate you into reflecting their emotions. When someone bullies you, they want you to feel insecure and worthless. The bully, on the other hand, is generally the one who feels insecure.

They may shift the blame on the victim. This occurs when a person is the victim of a crime and someone condemns their actions for the crime’s occurrence. For instance, if someone was sexually harassed, the perpetrator may blame the victim for dressed provocatively.

Other methods may be employed by the projector in order to appear trustworthy. This is only a glimpse of what they may accomplish.

Bottom Line

What is the best way to discuss with a projector? Do we inform of their projection and they will have realization? Most likely not.

The safest time to face a projecting individual is until the dispute has ended. As things get heated during a disagreement, thus the projector will unlikely to listen. Talk to them about it once the dispute is done and everyone has calmed down.

Somehow, if they recognize their shortcomings and wish to change then it is a good sign. But don’t feel compelled to fix another person. You might not be able to unless you are a specialist. Instead, the individual who is projecting should consult with a professional to prevent their projection behavior and improve themselves in a healthies way.

Thank you for reading ❤

This article is intended for educational and awareness purposes only. Please seek professional guidance for more information.

Disclaimer: The original version of this story was published on another platform.

Link to original version: https://medium.com/know-thyself-heal-thyself/how-to-identify-projection-and-lack-of-self-awareness-f52b85256258

References:

Good Therapy. (2016, February 16). Projection. GoodTherapy.Org Therapy Blog. https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/projection

Brenner, G. H. (2018, September 9). Is projection the most powerful defense mechanism? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/experimentations/201809/is-projection-the-most-powerful-defense-mechanism

Lindberg, S. (2018, September 15). It’s not me, it’s you: Projection explained in human terms. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/projection-psychology#examples

My Therapist. (2021, August 18). What is projection psychology and what does it reveal about people? Exploring projection psychology. My Therapist. https://www.mytherapist.com/advice/psychology/what-is-projection-psychology-and-what-does-it-reveal-about-people/