Parataxic distortion is a psychiatric term first used by Harry S. Sullivan to describe the inclination to skew perceptions of others based on fantasy.
Parataxic distortion serves as an immature cognitive defense mechanism against this psychological stress and is similar to transference.
Stereotyping of individuals based on social cues and the classification of people into groups is a commonplace cognitive function of the human mind.
According to Paul Martin Lester, "our brains naturally classify what we see, we can't help but notice the differences in physical attributes between one person and another".
The unconscious memory, without our knowing, helps us understand and deal with situations in the present that we have dealt with in the past.
Parataxic distortion and our unconscious mind make us act the same way in current situations as we did in the past, even without realizing it.
As a defense mechanism, parataxic distortion protects one from the emotional consequences of a past event.
It is not an illness or a disease, but a part of everyday, normal human psychology that can become maladaptive in certain situations.
One may also attempt to coerce or force another to 'fit the mold' and act more according to expectations, more like the idealized version they dream the other as being.
It may be to manage emotions within their family, to facilitate communication between them and their spouse, or to imagine a relationship between them and their nation-state.