In psychoanalytic theory, the defence mechanism in which an individual attributes their own unacceptable impulses or feelings to another person is called:

• A Reaction formation
• B Projective identification
• C Displacement
• D Projection ✓

Explanation

Projection is the defence mechanism by which an individual attributes their own unacceptable feelings, desires, or impulses to others (e.g., a person with unconscious hostility who believes others are hostile to them). Reaction formation is doing the opposite of the unacceptable impulse (e.g., excessive kindness masking aggression). Projective identification is more complex — the projector behaves in ways that elicit the projected feeling in the target. Displacement redirects emotion from a threatening object to a safer one.

Reference: Kaplan & Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11th ed.

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