Ilene just failed a test and when she gets home, snaps at her roommate for failing to put her dirty dishes in the sink. What defense mechanism does this illustrate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This illustrates displacement, which is when someone directs their negative emotions or behaviors onto someone or something else that is not the true source of their frustration. In this case, Ilene is displacing her anger and frustration over failing a test onto her roommate for a minor issue with dishes.

Ilene Just Failed a Test and When She Gets Home