Freud would have argued that a person who obsessively washes their hands ________.
A) has some sort of neurological deficit
B) is experiencing some form of conscious distress
C) is reacting to an unacceptable unconscious sexual or aggressive impulse
D) is angry at themselves or someone else

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Freudian theory, obsessive handwashing can be a manifestation of the individual's unconscious repressed aggressive or sexual impulses. The act of washing hands is a displacement behavior that provides a temporary release of tension caused by the unconscious conflict. The individual may not be consciously aware of the underlying cause of their behavior.

Freud Would Have Argued That a Person Who Obsessively Washes