After Lauren broke up with him, Evan told his friends how happy he was that Lauren was out of his life. Nevertheless, Evan keeps thinking of things that he left at Lauren's apartment and calls her or stops by her apartment several times a week. Each time he sees her, he is insulting and unpleasant and tells Lauren that he hopes he never sees her again. Which of the following ego defense mechanisms best explains Evan's behavior?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Evan's behavior of expressing happiness about the breakup while continuing to contact Lauren and be unpleasant towards her can be explained by reaction formation. This defense mechanism involves expressing the opposite of how one truly feels as a way to cope with unacceptable feelings. In this case, Evan may be feeling hurt and rejected by the breakup, but is expressing the opposite by acting and speaking negatively towards Lauren.

After Lauren Broke Up with Him, Evan Told His Friends