Defensive communication is a term that refers to a form of communication characterized by reactivity, protectiveness, or self-justification.
Such behavior occurs in communication when one is trying to defend oneself. Naturally, to feel the need to defend oneself, one should feel threatened.
People could perceive as a threat, not only a direct threat but also cirticism, a judgement – whether real or imagined, and sometimes even a compliment.
Defensive communication often leads to results like conflict, misunderstanding, or even a breakdown in dialogue. That happens, among other reasons, because the more one gets defensive, the more the manner of their speech, verbal content, etc., loses the spontaneity and clarity of the message.
Defensive communication is triggered by a perceived personal attack or criticism, and may occur as denial, blame-shifting, sarcasm, withdrawal, or even aggression. Those, naturally, are barriers to effective interpersonal communication.
A very important feature of defensive communication is that it can become a habitual communication style in high-stress or conflict-prone environments