When individuals feel that their behavior is being restricted, they respond in a way that can be called

The correct answer is C) Psychological reactance. This is Jack Brehm's reactance theory (1966). When people feel a free choice is being taken away or threatened, they become motivated to restore that freedom, often by doing the very thing they were told not to do. The response is an emotional and motivational pushback against the restriction.

Why the others fail:

• A) Psychological defense: This refers to the ego's unconscious mechanisms, such as repression or rationalisation, used to reduce anxiety. It is not a response to lost freedom.
• B) Psychological vigilance: This is heightened watchfulness for threats. It describes attention, not a reaction to restricted behaviour.
• D) Psychological persistence: This is continuing toward a goal despite obstacles. It is a trait of perseverance, not a specific response to a perceived loss of freedom.

For Mains, reactance explains why heavy-handed bans or mandates often provoke backlash. It is central to ethics questions on persuasion, public communication and nudging versus coercion.

Trap: Aspirants pick 'psychological defense' because the word 'defensive' sounds like a reaction to pressure. The question is about the motivation to restore freedom, which is reactance.