After Lauren broke up with him, Evan told his friends how happy he was that Lauren was out of his life. Nevertheless, Evan keeps thinking of things that he left at Lauren's apartment and calls her or stops by her apartment several times a week. Each time he sees her, he is insulting and unpleasant and tells Lauren that he hopes he never sees her again. Evan's behavior is best explained by which of the following ego defense mechanisms?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Evan's statements to his friends about being happy that Lauren is out of his life are inconsistent with his behavior of continuously contacting her and insulting her. This is an example of reaction formation, where he consciously expresses the opposite of his true feelings in order to avoid the anxiety that would arise from admitting he still cares about her.

After Lauren Broke Up with Him, Evan Told His Friends