A world civilization was defined out of existence by the standard scholarly definition.

Evidence

Holmes’s first criterion was trait possession; in other words, direct projection could only be labeled as such if the projector actually possessed the trait being attributed to someone else. It was not enough for a person to simply fear possessing the trait. Unfortunately, the usefulness of this criterion is dependent on there being a definitive method for deciding that a person “has” a trait, and as has already been noted, that is not the case. Holmes’s other criterion was that direct projection had to take place without awareness. Projection, though, may result from a number of interrelated psychological processes, and a person’s level of awareness of each one might not be identical (Newman, 2001b). Holmes concluded that there was no empirical evidence for defensive projection, but given the definition he promoted, it is easy to see why no studies met his criteria. For example, it was not even clear what the “awareness” criterion referred to: Awareness of having the trait? Awareness of attributing it to someone else? Awareness of the connection between one’s own selfconcept and the impressions one forms of others? — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2351 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Civilization is defined as culture writ large across all major theorists — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 107; Over-strict definitions can define a phenomenon out of existence — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years…, 2351

Broader Connections

• Over-strict definitions can define a phenomenon out of existence #expands (0.92) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2351