When five-year-old Mung Chen's parents bring home his new baby sister,he starts to suck his thumb again-something he hasn't done in two years.This is an example of ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mung Chen's return to thumb-sucking, a behavior he had previously outgrown, is an example of regression. Regression is a defense mechanism where an individual reverts to an earlier stage of development in response to stress or conflict, in this case, possibly due to feelings of insecurity or jealousy over the new baby.

When Five-Year-Old Mung Chen's Parents Bring Home His New Baby