Which defense mechanism involves expressing the opposite of what one feels to hide the true emotion?

• A. Rationalization
• B. Projection
• C. Reaction Formation
• D. Denial

Answer: (C)

Expressing the opposite of what you actually feel as a way to hide the real emotion is a defense mechanism called reaction formation. It involves turning an uncomfortable impulse or feeling into its exact opposite and outwardly displaying that opposite emotion or behavior to mask what’s really going on inside. For example, a person who feels anger toward someone might respond with excessive kindness or praise, or someone who feels anxious about social judgment might act overly confident and boisterous. The key idea is that the outward behavior is a flip of the true feeling, used to protect the person from anxiety or guilt.

Rationalization, by contrast, is about creating plausible reasons to justify a thought or action rather than showing its opposite emotion. Projection involves assigning one’s own unacceptable thoughts to someone else. Denial is the refusal to acknowledge a painful feeling or reality.