Which of the following individuals is demonstrating reaction formation as a defense mechanism?

• A. A person who channels aggressive impulses into playing competitive sports.
• B. A person who refuses to acknowledge their anger and insists they are not upset at all.
• C. A person who feels hostility toward a coworker but instead is excessively friendly and complimentary toward them.
• D. A person who attributes their own feelings of jealousy to their partner, accusing the partner of being jealous.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of reaction formation: it is a defense mechanism where an individual unconsciously replaces an unacceptable or threatening impulse with its opposite behavior or feeling.
2. Review each option and identify the underlying impulse and the behavior shown in response to it.
3. For the first option, channeling aggressive impulses into sports is an example of sublimation, not reaction formation.
4. For the second option, refusing to acknowledge anger is more aligned with denial or repression, not reaction formation.
5. For the third option, feeling hostility but acting excessively friendly is a classic example of reaction formation, as the person expresses the opposite of their true feelings.