Reaction Formation In Psychology – What is It And How To Recognize It

In psychology, reaction formation is considered a defense mechanism in which you wish to do something or say something but end up saying or doing the opposite. Often, this reaction is born out of an unwanted anxiety-inducing impulse.

For example, a mother with an unwanted kid may become overprotective to convince herself and the kid that she can be a good mother.

Confused? Well, this is what reaction formation does, and we discuss it. How was the concept of reaction formation developed, and how was it recognized?

The Concept Of Reaction Formation

Sigmund Freud introduced the concept of defense mechanisms in the 1800s. Later, his daughter Anna Freud took the concept further by introducing ten types of defense mechanisms, including reaction formation.

A defense mechanism is a group of mental processes where our mind tries to reach compromising solutions. This mental process is usually unconscious. The concept was born out of the psychoanalytic theory that there are forces in an individual’s mind that oppose each other.

Many studies concerning reaction formation provide convincing evidence. In 1998, it was found that people who exhibited reaction formation felt threatened by their self-esteem and responded with the opposite of their feelings.

Examples To Understand Reaction Formation

While reaction formation may look contradictory, there are many examples where a person may support a view on the outside but unconsciously feel or think the opposite. Some reaction formation examples can include:

1. During the teenage years, when the child wants to separate from their parents psychologically, they express disrespect towards their parents to avoid admitting that they feel love or affection for them.

2. Similarly, an individual’s self-esteem may feel threatened when they are told they aren’t manly enough, so they may compensate by being more aggressive. One of the classic examples of reaction formation is when a boy bullies a girl because he likes her subconsciously.

3. In another example, an addict may preach against substance abuse and addiction. A man who desires a romantic attraction may not find a partner to return his feelings, so he may express sexist views to protect his ego.

4. One other example is that of a teen who may realize that they have feelings towards a same-sex individual. Still, being raised in a conservative family where homosexuality isn’t accepted, they may develop a defense mechanism to hide their true self. Because of their outward belief, they may show deep hatred towards the LGBTQ+ community and develop homophobia.

How To Identify Reaction Formation?

Reaction formation is an unconscious process by which the ego defends against thoughts or feelings that a person may find unacceptable due to societal, personal, community, or other standards. While this defense mechanism may protect a person’s self-esteem, it can become complicated over time. Reaction formation may cause a person to lose their true self and can lead to poor well-being.

In many cases, reaction formation can be easy to spot. This defense mechanism often manifests as hyper, exaggerated, and unreasonable actions to attract attention.

Sadly, reaction formation is also challenging to spot. People defending themselves using this defense mechanism can be passionate about the beliefs they express on the outside while their real beliefs stay deeply buried inside their minds.

Understanding how defense mechanisms affect your behavior can help you decide whether using reaction formation to protect yourself from unwanted feelings is helpful.

With the help of professional support from a mental health counselor, you can better understand this process, the reaction formation psychology, while offering a more objective outlook.

A Word from CalmSage

Working alongside a mental health counselor can help you recognize reaction formation. A counselor may ask you to identify the thoughts and feelings you are more likely to find uncomfortable and distressing. The aim is to work towards accepting the unconscious thoughts and feelings that induce anxiety, causing you to respond with reaction formation.

An example can be; a person may look and act friendly towards all but in reality, they harbor a dislike for their peers and colleagues. Here, a mental health counselor can help them identify their thought pattern, feelings, and behavior while exploring why their dislike towards others causes them anxiety. A counselor, then, can help them accept their true self and feelings.

If you’re struggling with reaction formation or other behavioral issues, you can connect with a counselor as they are trained and experienced professionals available to provide help.

You can even connect with us by dropping us a message on our social media platforms or leaving a comment.

Give us a thumbs and share this article if you like it.