When someone excuses a missed project deadline by blaming visitors, what is this an example of?

The scenario described reflects the concept of rationalization, which involves providing excuses or justifications for behavior or decisions that may be seen as negative or problematic. By attributing the missed deadline to the presence of visitors, the person is attempting to alleviate responsibility for their failure to meet the deadline. This serves to protect their self-esteem or reputation by presenting an external factor as the cause of the issue rather than acknowledging any internal shortcomings, such as poor time management or lack of planning.

In this context, rationalization acts as a psychological defense mechanism, allowing individuals to reconcile their actions with their self-image by finding external justifications for circumstances that may not indeed warrant such excuses.