While recovering from heart surgery, a fifty-three-year-old man is laid off from his job. He becomes rude and mean-spirited toward his wife, which is a significant change in his behavior. Which of the following defense mechanisms is the patient exhibiting?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is exhibiting displacement, a defense mechanism where negative feelings are transferred from the original source of the emotion (in this case, the stress of losing his job and recovering from heart surgery) to a less threatening target (his wife). This is a way of coping with stress or anxiety by taking out feelings on an unrelated person or object.

While Recovering from Heart Surgery, a Fifty-Three-Year-Old Man Is Laid