Projection can be broken down into a few types, per Dr. Vaccaro and Dr. Joseph.
Jealousy projection can look like someone “who is secretly jealous of a co-worker’s success, but accuses the co-worker of being envious of them instead,” says Dr. Vaccaro.
Manipulation projection is when someone who frequently manipulates others claims that other people are attempting to manipulate them. A manipulator may also project guilt and blame by claiming that a person who is their manipulation victim did something to cause the manipulator’s actions, says Dr. Joseph.
Anger projection is when a person is angry with themselves, but takes it out on others.
Parental projection is when parents project “their unfulfilled ambitions onto their children, pushing [the children] to achieve what the parents couldn’t,” says Dr. Vaccaro.
Positive projection can look like a highly-talented individual believing that others possess those talents.
Romantic or erotic projection occurs when a person struggling in a relationship thinks their partner is being unfaithful or has an intimacy problem, say Dr. Chang and Matthew Schubert, a licensed professional counselor and CEO at Gem State Wellness in Boise, Idaho. Another example is when an individual who is attracted to another person may accuse the object of their affection as having flirted with them first, adds Dr. Joseph.
Insecurity projection may occur when someone feels insecure about their appearance or abilities and so they judge others’ looks or abilities. Another example could involve an individual seeing everyone else as being insecure to mask their own insecurities, according to Dr. Chang.
Insecurity projection may happen when a man projects his insecurities on the women around him, accusing them of being hostile or trying to get him fired from work, adds Dr. Opler.
“The same could occur around issues of race, class or sexuality, where a person’s own unconsciously perceived faults could be projected onto the poor, onto the rich or onto another race or sexual orientation, rather than accepted as a personal concern,” says Dr. Opler.