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Psychology Qualifying Practice Exam

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In Freud's defense mechanisms, displacement is best described as redirecting emotional impulses from a forbidden object to a safer substitute.
Correct Answer:
Redirecting emotional impulses from a forbidden object to a safer substitute.
Explanation:
Displacement involves shifting emotional impulses from a forbidden target to a safer substitute, so redirecting those feelings from the original object to something less threatening is exactly what displacement describes. By moving the emotion away from the forbidden target, the ego lowers the anxiety tied to expressing or confronting those impulses directly. This differs from projection, which would involve treating your own unacceptable thoughts as belonging to someone else. Repetition of unwanted behavior to reduce anxiety isn’t displacement—it’s a maladaptive pattern that can reflect other processes like repetition compulsion. Blocking unacceptable thoughts from conscious awareness is repression, not displacement.

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