Susan loves her new baby brother,but sometimes she secretly wishes she were still the only child in the family.Which defense mechanism would she be using if she snuggled him a little too roughly?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Susan is exhibiting reaction formation, which is when the individual unconsciously behaves in a way that is opposite of their true feelings. In this case, she may have negative feelings towards her brother, but in order to cope with those feelings, she is snuggling him aggressively. This behavior is a reaction formation because it is the opposite of her true feelings.

Susan Loves Her New Baby Brother,but Sometimes She Secretly Wishes