What Is Reaction Formation?

In psychology, reaction formation is a defense mechanism in which a person unconsciously replaces an unwanted or anxiety-provoking impulse with its opposite, often expressed in an exaggerated or s classic example is a young boy who bullies a young girl because, on a subconscious level, he's attracted to her. Consciously, he can't face the reality of his romantic feelings, so he expresses distaste toward her instead of appreciation.

History of Reaction Formation

The concept of defense mechanisms was initially proposed in the late 1800s by Sigmund Freud as part of his psychoanalytic theory.1 While Freud started the discussion on defense mechanisms, his daughter Anna Freud advanced the idea further by proposing 10 important defense mechanisms in her seminal book, The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense, published in 1936.

How to Recognize Reaction Formation

Reaction formation is a way for the ego to defend itself against any thoughts or feelings that an individual finds unacceptable due to personal, familial, community, or societal standards. While this may protect the individual's self-esteem at the moment, this can become problematic over time. It suppresses one's authentic self, which harms one's well-being.

Unfortunately, reaction formation can be especially challenging to recognize in everyday life. Someone defending their ego this way can be extremely passionate about the beliefs and preferences they outwardly express while their true beliefs stay buried in the subconscious.

Learning about defense mechanisms and examining your behavior can help you determine whether you may be using reaction formation to shield yourself from unwanted thoughts or feelings. A mental health professional can best guide you through this process, given they can explore your behavior with you and provide a more objective perspective.

Examples of Reaction Formation

While reaction formation may seem counterintuitive, there are many scenarios in which an individual may outwardly support one view while unconsciously feeling its exact opposite.

Here are some additional examples of reaction formation:

During adolescence, when people want to psychologically separate from their parents, a teenager expresses contempt for their parents to avoid acknowledging any feelings of love or affection toward them.2
A man's self-esteem is threatened by the possibility that he is not masculine enough, so he overcompensates by acting aggressive and macho.
A drug addict loudly preaches against substance abuse and for abstinence from them.
Individuals who cannot consciously accept their anger and aggressive desires act in a calm, passive manner.

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