Final answer:
The defense mechanism used by a student who blames tricky questions for poor test performance, rather than poor preparation, is known as rationalization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The defense mechanism that the student in question is using is rationalization. Rationalization is when someone justifies their behaviors by substituting acceptable reasons for less-acceptable real reasons. In this case, the student is blaming poor test performance on tricky questions instead of admitting to poor preparation.
This defense mechanism allows the student to protect their ego and avoid taking responsibility for their lack of preparation.
A student who blames poor test performance on tricky questions rather than admitting to poor preparation is engaging in rationalization. Rationalization is a defense mechanism that involves justifying behaviors by substituting acceptable reasons for less acceptable real reasons. It's a way that individuals convince themselves that their actions or feelings are justifiable and avoid the true, often uncomfortable, because of their behavior, which in this case is likely poor study habits or unpreparedness.