At his place of employment, Bob treats his boss, John, the same way he treats his friends and family, even though Bob hates John. This is an illustration of:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This scenario exemplifies the defense mechanism of reaction formation, where an individual may express the opposite of their true emotions or feelings about a person or situation in order to cope with their uncomfortable or unwanted feelings. Bob dislikes John, but treats him kindly, just as he would treat friends and family, in order to deal with his negative feelings towards John.

At His Place of Employment, Bob Treats His Boss, John