{"id":3570,"date":"2023-03-14T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relationshipsrelearned.com\/staging\/9213\/1\/?p=3570"},"modified":"2023-11-02T11:52:19","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T16:52:19","slug":"rationalization-vs-justification","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relationshipsrelearned.com\/staging\/9213\/rationalization-vs-justification\/","title":{"rendered":"Rationalization vs. Justification – The Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In everyday communication, the words rationalization and justification are frequently used interchangeably. But, do they really mean the same thing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, rationalization is an excuse, something that you say and\/or do to protect yourself from emotional harm. Justification is a legal, medical or moral reason for your actions and\/or behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opposing Perspectives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps looking at an event from two different perspectives can help illuminate the difference between rationalization and justification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Event:<\/strong> You are driving on 1-45 heading toward exit 85. Your destination is Houston Healthcare Hospital. You are going 20 mph over the speed limit. You are stopped on the interstate by the police.

Rationalization:<\/strong> You tell the police officer you are afraid you will be late to work. Your alarm did not go off this morning. You had a fight with your significant other. You are hoping your excuses will be enough to prevent you from getting a speeding ticket. You are attempting to protect yourself from emotional (and financial!) harm.

Justification: <\/strong>You tell the police officer that the woman in the passenger seat is in labor with contractions 2 minutes apart. Your goal is to get the pregnant woman to the hospital before the baby is delivered in your car! You feel there is a medical reason (having the baby delivered in the hospital, not your car!) for your speeding, and you should be excused from a speeding ticket for this medical situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of the reasons given are real reasons for speeding. You did have a fight. You are afraid you will be late for work. The woman is about to deliver her baby. It is all a matter of perspective in determining if the reason for speeding is deemed legitimate to the police officer so you can avoid a speeding ticket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rationalization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rationalization is telling yourself it is \u201cokay\u201d to eat a chocolate frosted brownie because you walked 10,000 steps yesterday. Rationalization is saying it is \u201cokay\u201d you cheated on your significant other because s\/he wasn\u2019t paying enough attention to you. Rationalization is saying it is \u201cokay\u201d to drive 15 mph over the speed limit because everyone else is driving that fast, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rationalization is a defense mechanism. It is something you say or do to protect yourself from emotional harm. Rationalization is a fairly common defense mechanism, something many people may do without even realizing they are doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be difficult for people to notice when they rationalize, because it feels better to believe their excuses than admit they caused a problem. Maybe an individual didn\u2019t follow through on a commitment, so instead points out what s\/he did: \u201cI didn\u2019t get to the dishes, but I worked hard at the office.\u201d Or maybe you claim your behavior could have been worse: \u201cI don\u2019t change diapers, but I am better than my dad, who was never around.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rationalization is not always harmful, especially when used in simple life situations, for example, \u201cI am in a bad mood because of traffic\u201d or \u201cI didn\u2019t clean the litter box because I was busy making supper.\u201d While they are examples of rationalization, in the scheme of life, these are not excuses you will be judged for by others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rationalizing an event may help individuals maintain self-respect or even avoid guilt over something they have done. Problems arise when rationalization is continuous. It then can become maladaptive and even dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can you recognize rationalization? Check for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n