Compensation

The term, Compensation, was first introduced by Alfred Adler in 1907 and refers to a defense mechanism in which one tries to conceal perceived flaws and shortcomings in one area by working really hard and overdeveloping skills in another area. People consciously or unconsciously use this strategy to protect themselves from others’ criticism and feelings of unworthiness, inferiority, or inadequacy. For example, a student that struggles to make friends and interact with others in social settings may strive for perfection in the academic area, compensating by becoming a straight-A student.