scapegoating Definition
the act of blaming someone or a group for something that is not their fault, often as a way of distracting attention from the real cause of a problem.
Using scapegoating: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "scapegoating" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The government used the minority group as a scapegoat for the country's economic problems.
Example
The boss was scapegoating his employees for his own mistakes.
Example
The politician was accused of scapegoating immigrants for the country's security issues.
scapegoating Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with scapegoating
Example
He was made a scapegoat for the company's financial losses.
a psychological theory that explains how individuals or groups project their own negative traits onto others and blame them for their problems
Example
The scapegoat mechanism is often used in group dynamics to avoid taking responsibility for one's own actions.
a sociological theory that explains how individuals or groups are unfairly blamed for social problems, often due to prejudice or discrimination
Example
The scapegoat theory is often used to explain how marginalized groups are blamed for societal issues.
Summary: scapegoating in Brief
'Scapegoating' [skeɪp-ɡoh-ting] is the act of blaming someone or a group for something that is not their fault. It is often used to distract attention from the real cause of a problem. Examples include using a minority group as a scapegoat for economic problems or blaming employees for a boss's mistakes. Phrases like 'be made a scapegoat' and 'scapegoat mechanism' further illustrate the concept.
