Which of the following demonstrates the defence mechanism displacement?

Which of the following demonstrates the defence mechanism displacement?

• A. Ms. Colm repeatedly tells her practical nurse, Reena, how much she admires her, when in fact Ms. Colm does not like Reena.
• B. Ms. Henry yells at the practical nurse after the physician is rude to Ms. Henry.
• C. Mr. Patrick forgets to make an appointment with his physician when he feels a lump on his testicle.
• D. Mrs. Miyagi refuses to believe that her sister has a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer.

Answer: (B)

Displacement involves redirecting emotions from the original source of distress to a safer, more acceptable target. In this case, the physician’s rude behavior provokes anger in the patient, but she channels that anger toward the practical nurse instead of addressing the physician. The nurse becomes the outlet for the feeling that actually stems from the encounter with the physician, which is the essence of displacement. The other options show different coping patterns: admiring someone you actually dislike (reaction formation), forgetting an appointment due to anxiety or avoidance, and refusing to accept a serious diagnosis (denial).

Displacement involves redirecting emotions from the original source of distress to a safer, more acceptable target. In this case, the physician’s rude behavior provokes anger in the patient, but she channels that anger toward the practical nurse instead of addressing the physician. The nurse becomes the outlet for the feeling that actually stems from the encounter with the physician, which is the essence of displacement.

The other options show different coping patterns: admiring someone you actually dislike (reaction formation), forgetting an appointment due to anxiety or avoidance, and refusing to accept a serious diagnosis (denial).