A 42-year-old man comes to the office for a checkup. He has no medical symptoms but says, "I'm just feeling stressed and not like myself." The patient is going through a contentious divorce. He is outraged that his wife is pursuing full custody of their children and says, "I can't believe she is doing this to me." His job as a legal researcher had been a welcome distraction from his upsetting personal life until yesterday when he was called to his supervisor's office for yelling at the receptionist when the copy machine ran out of ink. Which of the following is the best explanation for this patient's behavior toward the receptionist?

Question

A 42-year-old man comes to the office for a checkup.  He has no medical symptoms but says, "I'm just feeling stressed and not like myself."  The patient is going through a contentious divorce.  He is outraged that his wife is pursuing full custody of their children and says, "I can't believe she is doing this to me."  His job as a legal researcher had been a welcome distraction from his upsetting personal life until yesterday when he was called to his supervisor's office for yelling at the receptionist when the copy machine ran out of ink.  Which of the following is the best explanation for this patient's behavior toward the receptionist?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

11ec160b_3610_9346_9249_535649edb55f_MD0001_00 This patient's redirection of his anger from his wife to the receptionist is an example of the defense mechanism displacement. In displacement, emotions are unconsciously transferred from their actual target to someone or something else that is less threatening. In this case, the patient is angry with his wife but cannot express it directly as it may impact the child custody proceedings. Instead, he unconsciously transfers the emotion to the receptionist, resulting in his angry outburst over a minor incident. (Choice A) Acting out refers to the expression of unacceptable thoughts or impulses through actions (eg, if this patient were to react to his wife's pursuit of full custody by vandalizing her car). (Choice B) In denial, an individual avoids awareness of external realities that are difficult to face (eg, if this patient were to insist that his marriage is conflict-free). (Choice D) In intellectualization, an individual focuses on nonemotional aspects of a distressing situation to make it more tolerable (eg, if this patient were solely preoccupied with thinking about the legal, not the emotional, aspects of his divorce). (Choice E) Reaction formation involves transforming unacceptable feelings into their opposite (eg, if this patient, who is angry at his wife, were to act in an overly loving manner toward her). (Choice F) Splitting involves experiencing the self or others in extremes, either all positive or all negative, which allows "bad" qualities to be completely separated from the "good" (eg, if this patient were to view his wife as a horrible person with no redeeming qualities). (Choice G) Sublimation involves transforming unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable behaviors (eg, if this patient were to take up boxing as a means of venting frustration). Educational objective: In displacement, emotions are transferred from the person causing the negative emotions to a more neutral, less threatening person or object. __________ References: Change in coping and defense mechanisms across adulthood: longitudinal findings in a European American sample. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23834293) Understanding defense mechanisms. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26583439)

A 42-Year-Old Man Comes to the Office for a Checkup