Final answer:
Displacement in psychology refers to transferring inappropriate urges to a more acceptable or less threatening target, often resulting in a scapegoat. Historical examples include Hitler's blaming of the Jewish population and the discrimination against immigrants in the U.S. It derives from Dollard's Frustration-Aggression theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Displacement is a psychological concept where an individual transfers their inappropriate urges or behaviors onto a more acceptable or less threatening target. This target can be another person or object that serves as a symbolic substitute. An example can be seen in the scapegoat theory, which originated from the Frustration-Aggression theory developed by Dollard and his colleagues in 1939. This theory discusses how aggression is redirected toward a subordinate group when the dominant group faces frustration from unmet expectations or perceived threats. A historical example of displacement is when Adolf Hitler placed blame on the Jewish population for Germany's issues, effectively using them as scapegoats.
Displacement has been widely observed both in historical contexts, such as the treatment of immigrants in the United States, and in everyday interpersonal dynamics. This mechanism helps individuals and groups cope with feelings of frustration by projecting their unacceptable feelings or desires onto others, often unfairly impairs the social standing of the target group or individual.