Final answer:
Defensiveness is a response to criticism or contempt that involves counterattacking or making excuses without genuinely addressing the criticism. This behavior can prevent constructive conversation and often leads to further conflict.
Step-by-step explanation:
Contempt is known as defensiveness:
Counterattacking the person who criticizes you or treats you with contempt is known as defensiveness. This behavior often involves retaliating or coming up with excuses rather than addressing the criticism or contempt directly. It can be a mechanism for protecting one's self-esteem but can also lead to further conflict and impede constructive dialogue. An individual displaying defensiveness might argue against someone's ideas by personally attacking the individual, rather than engaging with the actual content or underlying issues.
For example, shifting the blame to someone else, such as condemning the condemners, demonstrates a defensive reaction that attempts to diverge attention from one's own actions. Defensiveness can arise in various contexts, such as in group settings where there may be an illusion of unanimity, or when holding onto stereotypes or negative attitudes about others. It can manifest in many behaviors and attitudes, from being abrasive and argumentative to expressing feelings of vilification or psychological harm.