Whenever Olivia feels bad about an exam performance, she visits the professor and breaks down into tears. As the professor attempts to console her, she is reminded of her childhood. Sigmund Freud would say that Olivia is using ________ to alleviate her anxieties about her academic abilities.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Regression is a defense mechanism where an individual reverts to an earlier stage of development in response to stress or anxiety. Olivia's behavior of breaking down into tears and being reminded of her childhood suggests she is reverting to a more childlike state to cope with her academic anxieties.

Whenever Olivia Feels Bad About an Exam Performance, She Visits