Which term refers to the act of shifting emotional responses or blame from one person or object to another?

Displacement is the term that describes the process of shifting emotional responses or blame from one person or object to another. This defense mechanism occurs when an individual feels a strong emotion but is unable to express it directly towards the person or situation that is the true source of that emotion. Instead, they redirect that emotion towards a safer target. For example, if someone is angry with their boss but cannot express that anger at work, they might go home and take out their frustration on a family member or a pet. This mechanism allows the individual to release pent-up emotions but does not address the root cause of their feelings, potentially resulting in misdirected aggression or resentment.

In analyzing the other terms, regression refers to reverting to behaviors characteristic of an earlier stage of development when faced with stress. Suppression involves consciously denying or pushing away thoughts or feelings rather than displacing them. Projection involves attributing one’s own unacceptable feelings or thoughts onto someone else, rather than shifting the emotional response to another target, as seen in displacement. These distinctions clarify why the identification of displacement as the correct response is essential in understanding emotional processing and defense mechanisms.