Which example illustrates the defense mechanism displacement?

• A. A resident loses another resident's favorite quilt.
• B. The resident says she is not upset but clearly is.
• C. The resident is upset with her roommate and snaps at the NA.
• D. The resident refuses to participate in an activity because the roommate will also be present.

Answer: (C)

Displacement occurs when feelings about a source of distress are redirected onto a safer, more accessible target. In this scenario, the resident is upset with her roommate, but she snaps at the nursing assistant. The NA is not the cause of the conflict, yet becomes the outlet for the resident’s anger. That redirection is exactly displacement.

Losing another resident’s quilt isn’t about redirecting emotions toward a person; it’s a property issue. Saying she isn’t upset but clearly is is denial, not displacement. Refusing to participate because the roommate will be present is avoidance or withdrawal, not transferring emotions to a different person.