Which defense mechanism involves an individual transforming unacceptable thoughts into their opposite?

Which defense mechanism involves an individual transforming unacceptable thoughts into their opposite?

• A. Suppression
• B. Projection
• C. Reaction formation
• D. Regression

Answer: (C)

The correct answer focuses on reaction formation, which is a defense mechanism whereby individuals take unacceptable feelings or impulses and transform them into their opposites. This occurs as a way to cope with anxiety or discomfort associated with those thoughts or emotions. For instance, a person who feels hostility toward someone may instead exhibit overt friendliness, thereby flaunting the opposite of their true feelings to avoid confronting them head-on.

This process can serve as a protective strategy to maintain social relationships or self-image by masking one's genuine emotions. For example, a parent who feels resentment towards a child might overly pamper them, creating a façade that contradicts their actual feelings.

In contrast, the other options involve different coping strategies that do not fit the definition provided: suppression refers to consciously pushing thoughts out of awareness; projection involves attributing your own unacceptable feelings to others; and regression is reverting to behaviors characteristic of an earlier developmental stage. Each of these mechanisms serves its own unique function, but only reaction formation specifically describes the transformation into the opposite feeling.