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

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Susan is likely experiencing a conflict between her love for her new baby brother and her desire for attention and affection from her parents that she may feel she is losing now that the baby is present. This conflict may cause her to unconsciously form a reaction formation, where she expresses the opposite of her true feelings. By snuggling her baby brother roughly, she may be demonstrating an exaggerated love and affection toward him to mask her deeper negative feelings.

Susan Loves Her New Baby Brother, but Sometimes She Secretly