Question

Ed, An 18 year old male, hosted a party at his parents's house while his parents were out of town. It was lit, to say the least. When ed's parents returned, they were infuriated by how messy the house was. Ed apologized and gave them a $50 gift card to applebee's. Which defense mechanism is Ed using?

A. Regression
B. Altruism
C. Reaction Formation
D. Undoing

Answer 1

Ed is using the Undoing defense mechanism by apologizing and offering a gift card to mitigate the effects of his actions after throwing a party.

Step-by-step explanation:

The defense mechanism Ed is using is Undoing. This mechanism is characterized by attempting to take back an undesirable behavior or thought with a reparative action. In the context of the scenario provided, Ed hosted a party at his parents' house and upon their return, they discovered the mess. Ed apologized and offered an Applebee's gift card to compensate for the trouble caused. This act of offering a gift card after the undesired behavior is an example of undoing, which serves to alleviate guilt and attempt to 'fix' the issue.