A religious leader who attempts to overcome his hidden doubts with intense expressions of spiritual certainty illustrates most clearly the defense mechanism of
A) reaction formation.
B) projection.
C) regression.
D) displacement.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reaction formation involves expressing the opposite of one's own unacceptable feelings or beliefs in an exaggerated manner. In this scenario, the religious leader is attempting to overcome his hidden doubts by expressing intense spiritual certainty, which is an exaggerated version of his hidden doubts.

A Religious Leader Who Attempts to Overcome His Hidden Doubts