Someone replaces one impulse with its opposite (e.g., love for hate). What defence mechanism may be at work?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reaction formation is a defence mechanism in which an individual replaces an unacceptable impulse with its opposite. For example, a person may show exaggerated friendliness towards someone they dislike. In this case, the impulse of hate is replaced with the opposite impulse of love or friendliness.

Someone Replaces One Impulse with Its Opposite (E