Which defense mechanism involves transferring thoughts, feelings, or impulses from one person to another, such as someone angry at their boss taking it out on a spouse?

Which defense mechanism involves transferring thoughts, feelings, or impulses from one person to another, such as someone angry at their boss taking it out on a spouse?

• A. Projection
• B. Displacement
• C. Rationalization
• D. Repression

Answer: (B)

Displacement is the defense mechanism at work when intense feelings are redirected from their original target to a safer or more acceptable one. In this example, anger aimed at the boss is taken out on the spouse, shifting the emotion from the real source to a less threatening recipient. This helps vent the emotion without confronting the actual cause directly. Understanding the other terms can help differentiate displacement: projection is about attributing one’s own unacceptable feelings to someone else, rationalization is offering plausible justifications to explain away behavior, and repression is pushing uncomfortable thoughts out of conscious awareness. Here, the emotion is redirected to a different person, which is why displacement fits best.

Displacement is the defense mechanism at work when intense feelings are redirected from their original target to a safer or more acceptable one. In this example, anger aimed at the boss is taken out on the spouse, shifting the emotion from the real source to a less threatening recipient. This helps vent the emotion without confronting the actual cause directly.

Understanding the other terms can help differentiate displacement: projection is about attributing one’s own unacceptable feelings to someone else, rationalization is offering plausible justifications to explain away behavior, and repression is pushing uncomfortable thoughts out of conscious awareness. Here, the emotion is redirected to a different person, which is why displacement fits best.