A patient in a motor vehicle accident states, "I did not run the red light," despite very clear evidence on the street surveillance tape. Which defense mechanism is the patient using?

A) Denial
B) Conversion
C) Dissociation
D) Compensation

Denial consists of avoiding emotional conflicts by refusing to consciously acknowledge anything that causes intolerable emotional pain. Dissociation involves creating subjective numbness and less awareness of surroundings. Conversion involves repressing anxiety and manifesting it into nonorganic symptoms. Compensation occurs when an individual makes up for a deficit by strongly emphasizing another feature.