In psychoanalytic theory, reaction formation is a defense mechanism in which emotions and impulses which are anxiety-producing or perceived to be unacceptable are mastered by exaggeration of the directly opposing tendency. The reaction formations belong to Level 3 of neurotic defense mechanisms.
Let me explain this concept in easy language: Reaction formation is a kind of psychological defense mechanism in which a person perceives their true feelings or desires to be socially, or in some cases, legally unacceptable, and so they can attempt to convince themselves or others that the opposite is true, often in a very exaggerated performance. Overall it is behaving in a way opposite to how you really feel.
My own living examples of reaction formation:
- I always say "I don't like kids at all, they are brats, I really want to slap them when they make noise." However I always end up reacting my feelings of guilt for not treating kids nicely by being friendly to them instead, to convince them and myself that I'm a nice person. Because bullying kids is not socially accepted in our society.
- I was curious about adult women's clothing and loved to try out everything when I was underage. I was always told by my mum not to dress seductive at this age. Due to this pressure from my mum, whenever I saw seductive clothing in stores, I was like "I'm not gonna dress seductive like that." As dressing seductive at this age was unacceptable in my family education, I behaved the opposite to reduce my anxiety of being unaccepted.
Other living examples of reaction formation I have come across:
- Boys who had crushes on me behave cold or scared of me. Some of them are being too shy to express their feelings appropriately, and they feel pressure while dealing with a witch lady.
- A person who lacked love due to his past traumatic memories claims that he doesn't believe in love and he doesn't care. I see myself in such people as this also applies on myself.
- A mother with an unwanted child appears to become a good mother.
"Reaction formation is the fixation in consciousness of an idea, affect, or desire that is opposite to a feared unconscious impulse."
- Sigmund Freud
For more details please search for "Reaction Formation by Sigmund Freud".
