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Though 10 years out of high school, Simon is still scarred and bothered by the bullying he experienced at the hand of Jeffrey. When Simon unexpectedly saw Jeffrey at the local grocery store, he greeted Jeffrey and shook his hand. Which of the following defense mechanisms may best explain Simon's behavior?

A. repression
B. rationalization
C. regression
D. reaction formation

1 Answer

2 votes

Answer:

D. reaction formation

Step-by-step explanation:

Reactive formation is a defense mechanism. It occurs when someone experiences an instinctive or unconscious desire that they consciously reject. This leads him to develop an opposite impulse to what he rejects. This explains Simon's behavior. Simon greeted Jeffrey and shook his hand, even feeling uncomfortable with Jeffrey's presence, because his body was expressing the defense mechanism called reactive formation.

An example can help us understand better. Suppose a woman doesn't agree with her mother's way of being, which is very controlling. This rejection makes her feel hatred for the way her mother tries to intervene and limit her life. She doesn't want to feel this hatred: deep down she believes she's a bad person for nurturing this feeling against her mother. Then she develops a reactive training behavior: she puts her life aside to care for and please her mother.

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