English noun: reaction formation | |||
1. | reaction formation (process) (psychiatry) a defense mechanism in which a person unconsciously develops attitudes and behavior that are the opposite of unacceptable repressed desires and impulses and serve to conceal them | ||
Samples | His strict morality is just a reaction formation to hide his sexual drive. | ||
Broader (hypernym) | defence, defence mechanism, defence reaction, defense, defense mechanism, defense reaction | ||
Domain category | psychiatry, psychological medicine, psychopathology | ||