Question

An adolescent, age 17, rarely expresses feelings and usually remains passive. However, when angry, her face becomes flushed and her blood pressure rises to 170/100 mm Hg. Her parents are passive and easygoing. The adolescent may be using which defense mechanism to handle anger?

1. Displacement
2. Introjection
3. Projection
4. Sublimation

Answer 1

The adolescent in question is likely using displacement as a defense mechanism to handle anger, by transferring feelings onto a less threatening target rather than directly expressing them.

Step-by-step explanation:

An adolescent who rarely expresses feelings and usually remains passive, while showing physical signs of agitation such as a flushed face and high blood pressure when angry, may be using the defense mechanism of displacement. This mechanism involves transferring inappropriate urges or behaviors onto a more acceptable or less threatening target. Given that in this scenario, the adolescent does not directly express anger in an outward or aggressive manner, but instead displays physiological symptoms, it suggests that the anger is being redirected internally or possibly towards another, less threatening, object or situation. This defense mechanism serves to manage the internal conflict by shifting the focus away from the direct cause of the anger.