Buffy,the Vampire Slayer,is finding herself physically attracted to Spike,a local vampire.Buffy frequently insults Spike,expresses her contempt for him,and occasionally beats him up.Buffy's behavior is best illustrated by which Freudian defense mechanism?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reaction formation is a defense mechanism where a person expresses the opposite feeling of what they truly feel. In Buffy's case, she is physically attracted to Spike but expresses contempt for him, insults him, and beats him up. This behavior is the opposite of her true feelings towards him, indicating the use of reaction formation as a defense mechanism.

Buffy,the Vampire Slayer,is Finding Herself Physically Attracted to Spike,a Local