Final answer:
The assertion that fear of failure encourages the use of defensive behaviors is true, as individuals often engage in protective mechanisms to ease anxiety and perceived threats. Historical contexts, such as reactions to the Panic of 1819, can also reflect defensive behaviors when faith in institutions declines.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that fear of failure promotes defensive behaviors is true. It is commonly observed that when individuals grapple with the fear of failing, they may resort to a range of defensive mechanisms to protect themselves from perceived threats, be it emotional, social, or even physical. These mechanisms are often an unconscious effort to reduce anxiety and can manifest in various forms such as denial, rationalization, regression, and projection. For instance, if a student is afraid of failing an exam, they might procrastinate or blame their teacher for their potential poor performance to deflect from their own insecurities.
Similarly, an employee fearing criticism may avoid taking risks or challenging tasks to evade the possibility of failure. In the historical context provided as reference, when looking at the Panic of 1819 and the American people's perception of the Second Bank of the United States, it illustrates a different form of defensive behavior manifesting as a loss of faith in an institution following an economic crisis, which is indicated by the false statement in Exercise 12.1.2.