Because the beginnings of his sexual attraction to some of the girls in his seventh-grade class caused Jeff so much anxiety, he often found himself teasing the girls to whom he was most attracted. Which of the following ego defense mechanisms best explains Jeff's behavior?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jeff's behavior of teasing the girls he was most attracted to is a clear example of reaction formation, which is a defense mechanism where a person converts an unacceptable or anxiety-producing impulse into its opposite. Jeff's attraction to the girls caused him anxiety, so he converted it into a desire to tease them.

Because the Beginnings of His Sexual Attraction to Some of the Girls