Displacement

media type="custom" key="2754665"Displacement Displacement, a freudian defense Mechanism, is the process by which one unconsciously separates their feelings of anger from the real cause and places it onto someone or something else, usually an object or less threatening person. This is done in an effort to avoid the real, often frightening cause of their anger. In most cases the true cause may be someone who is older and who you would not be able to yell at, talk back to or hit in order to release anger.As a result people resort to doing things like throwing objects, punching the wall, or yelling at someone who has nothing to do with the situation.



Displacement is an unconscious defense mechanism whereby the mind redirects effects from an object felt to be dangerous or unacceptable to an object felt to be safe or acceptable. For instance, some people punch cushions when they are angry at friends; a college student may snap at his or her roommate when upset about an exam grade. Displacement operates the mind unconsciously and involves emotions, ideas, or wishes being transferred from their original object to a more acceptable substitute. It is most often used to soothe anxiety. Displacement can act in a chain-reaction, with people unwillingly becoming both victims and perpetrators of displacement. For example, a man is angry with his boss, but he cannot express this so he hits his wife. The wife hits one of the children, possibly disguising this as punishment (rationalization).