If she is using the defence mechanisms of reaction formation, a mother who actually hates her son would MOST likely be both unaware of her hatred and

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the concept of reaction formation, an individual may express the opposite emotion or behavior of what they truly feel. In this case, the mother who hates her son may act in an extremely loving way toward her son as a defense mechanism to conceal her true feelings of hatred. Hence, option B is the best choice. The other options are unlikely because the mother is using a defense mechanism to hide her true feelings, so she may not direct her hatred towards her daughter or act in an extremely critical way toward her son. And there is no indication in the question's stem to suggest that the mother would believe that her son hated her.

If She Is Using the Defence Mechanisms of Reaction Formation