Question

Danny and his roommate Matt have very different definitions of "clean," and this leads to a lot of frustration for Danny, who likes to keep their apartment spotless. However, every time Danny tries to talk to Matt about his frustration, Matt becomes upset and he lashes out at Danny saying things like, "Are you calling me a pig? Why do you always assume that the mess is mine? I feel like I'm constantly being judged." What would the author's of our textbook call Matt's response?

Answer 1

Matt's response to Danny's concerns about cleanliness is a textbook example of defensive communication, where Matt reacts to protect his self-esteem rather than solve the problem.

Step-by-step explanation:

The scenario with Danny and Matt regarding different definitions of 'clean' illustrates a common interpersonal conflict. Matt's defensive response when Danny tries to discuss the issue may be categorized by the authors of a textbook as a form of defensive communication.

This is characterized by reactions that aim to protect one's self-esteem rather than addressing the conflict constructively. Matt perceives Danny's attempts to communicate about cleanliness as an attack on his character, prompting him to lash out and divert the conversation away from the actual issue.