National Certified Addiction Counselor, Level 2 (NCAC II) Practice Exam Exam

What psychological defense mechanism involves redirecting emotions from a threatening target to a safer one?

1. Congruence

2. Displacement

3. Empathy

4. Unconditional Positive Regard

The correct answer is: Displacement

Displacement is a psychological defense mechanism where an individual redirects their emotions, particularly anger or frustration, from a threatening target to a safer one. This mechanism allows a person to cope with feelings and impulses that they may find uncomfortable or threatening to express directly. For example, if someone is angry at their boss, instead of confronting the boss directly, they might come home and take out their frustration on a family member or even a pet. This redirection enables the individual to manage their emotions without the fear of facing the potential consequences of expressing those feelings towards the original source of their distress. The other options listed, while they are important concepts in psychology, do not represent the mechanism of displacement. Congruence refers to the alignment between a person's self-image and their actual experience, empathy involves understanding and sharing the feelings of others, and unconditional positive regard relates to accepting someone without judgment. None of these concepts describe the redirection of emotions as displacement does.