Displacement (psychology)

unconscious defense mechanism in psychology

Displacement is a word used in Freudian psychology for is an unconscious defence mechanism. Example: the mind redirects thoughts, emotions, desires from an object or person felt to be dangerous or unacceptable to an object or person felt to be safe or acceptable.

More generally, the substitute of one response by another, when the original response is blocked: displaced aggression.[1]

References

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  1. Reber A.S. & E.S. 1985. The Penguin dictionary of psychology. London: Penguin, p208. ISBN 0-140-51451-1