Gary was rude to his mother and feels very bad about it. For the rest of the day, he went out of his way to be kind, not only to his mother, but to everyone he encountered. Which defense mechanism is Gary using?
A) denial
B) sublimation
C) intellectualization
D) undoing

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Undoing is a defense mechanism where a person tries to 'undo' an undesirable behavior by acting in a way that signifies the opposite attitude. Gary's actions of being extra kind after being rude to his mother is an example of trying to make up for his behavior, thus undoing the negative impact of his initial actions.

Gary Was Rude to His Mother and Feels Very Bad