Reaction formation

In psychoanalytic theory, reaction formation () is a defense mechanism in which emotions, desires and impulses that are anxiety-producing or unacceptable to the ego are mastered by exaggeration of the directly opposing tendency.Charles Rycroft, ''A Critical Dictionary of Psychoanalysis'' (London, 2nd Edn, 1995)

Theory

Reaction formation depends on the hypothesis that:

Where reaction-formation takes place, it is usually assumed that the original, rejected impulse does not vanish, but persists, unconscious, in its original infantile form. Thus, where love is experienced as a reaction formation against hate, we cannot say that love is substituted for hate, because the original aggressive feelings still exist underneath the affectionate exterior that merely ''masks'' the hate to hide it from awareness.

In a diagnostic setting, the existence of a reaction-formation rather than a 'simple' emotion would be suspected where ''exaggeration'', ''compulsiveness'' and ''inflexibility'' were observed. For example,

Reaction formation is an effective form of disguise, and can be utilized in many forms. For example, "solicitude may be a reaction-formation against cruelty, cleanliness against coprophilia". An analyst might explain a client's unconditional pacifism as a reaction formation against their sadism. In addition,

Even more counter-intuitively, according to this model

The concept of reaction formation has been used to explain responses to external threats as well as internal anxieties. In the phenomenon described as Stockholm syndrome, a hostage or kidnap victim 'falls in love' with the feared and hated person who has complete power over them. Similarly, paradoxical reports exist of powerless and vulnerable inmates of Nazi camps creating 'favourites' among the guards and even collecting objects discarded by them. The mechanism of reaction formation is often characteristic of obsessional neuroses. When this mechanism is overused, especially during the formation of the ego, it can become a permanent character trait. This is often seen in those with obsessional character and obsessive personality disorders. This does not imply that its periodic usage is always obsessional, but that it can lead to obsessional behavior.

Research

A few studies have found evidence for the existence of reaction formation.

Women who scored high on sex-related guilt feelings claimed lower arousal when exposed to erotic stimulus, but physiological measures showed higher than average sexual responses. When Caucasians who actually showed non-racist, egalitarian tendencies were told they scored high for racist tendencies, they gave more money to an African-American panhandler when leaving the testing lab than those who were not accused of harboring racist sentiments.Dutton D, Lake R. Threat of own prejudice and reverse discrimination in interracial situations. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1973;28(1):94-100. doi:10.1037/h0035582

See also

* Counterphobic attitude
* Displacement
* Dunning-Kruger effect
* Projection
* Repression
* Rationalization
* Regression

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reaction Formation
Psychoanalytic terminology
Defence mechanisms