Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question requires matching four of Freud's defense mechanisms with their corresponding key elements or simple descriptions.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
A. Repression: This is the fundamental defense mechanism where anxiety-provoking thoughts, memories, or feelings are pushed out of conscious awareness into the unconscious. This matches III. Forgets by pushing down.
B. Reaction formation: This mechanism involves behaving in a way that is the exact opposite of one's true, unacceptable feelings. For example, a person with unconscious aggressive urges might become overly kind and pacifistic. The description IV. The best defense is a good offense is a metaphorical fit, representing the act of taking up an opposing stance very strongly.
C. Projection: This involves attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or motives to another person. Essentially, it is II. Blaming others for one's own impulses.
D. Rationalization: This is the process of creating logical-sounding but false explanations for behavior that was actually driven by unacceptable unconscious motives. It is essentially I. Making excuses.
The correct pairings are A-III, B-IV, C-II, and D-I.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct combination of matches is A-III, B-IV, C-II, D-I, which corresponds to option (D).