Which term is an ego defense mechanism where the client takes on behavior learned from another?

• A. Ego-defense mechanism
• B. Free association
• C. Interjection
• D. Fixation

Answer: (C)

The concept here is how a person copes by taking on someone else’s behavior as their own. Interjection describes this exactly: the client internalizes traits or actions learned from another person and then acts as if they are their own. This can feel safer or more acceptable because it comes from a trusted model, such as a parent or authority figure, reducing anxiety by aligning with that person’s behavior.

This is more specific than the broad idea of an ego-defense mechanism, and it’s different from free association, which is a technique for revealing unconscious thoughts by saying whatever comes to mind. It’s also not about lingering at a developmental stage (fixation). So the choice that highlights adopting another’s behavior fits best, since it captures the process of internalizing and mirroring someone else’s patterns.