Final answer:
The defense mechanism in which people disguise their own undesirable impulses by attributing them to others is called projection. It is one of several defense mechanisms that protect individuals from emotional discomfort but might lead to unhealthy patterns if overused.
Step-by-step explanation:
The defense mechanism by which people disguise threatening impulses by attributing them to others is called projection. This ego defense mechanism involves taking one's own unacceptable qualities or feelings and ascribing them to other people. For example, if someone is feeling a strong sense of guilt about an action, rather than acknowledging their own feelings of guilt, they may accuse another person of being guilty of the same action.
Understanding defense mechanisms like projection can be beneficial in recognizing one's behavior patterns and in personal growth or therapy. Other defensive strategies include displacement, where a person redirects their feelings from the original source of the stress to a less threatening target, and reaction formation, a mechanism where a person converts their unwanted thoughts or feelings into their opposites.
It is important to note that defense mechanisms are subconscious processes that shield individuals from emotional discomfort and assist in coping with stress, but they may also lead to unhealthy patterns if overused.