The nurse is assessing a short-tempered man who had a history of aggression when he was a youth before becoming a city champion boxer. This is an example of which of the following defense mechanisms?

Explanation

• Sublimation is the redirection of unacceptable feelings or behaviors into an acceptable channel. By becoming a boxer, he found a way to express aggressive urges and be rewarded and celebrated for it instead of becoming a criminal or getting into trouble.

• Incorrect: Projection is an unconscious blaming of one's own unacceptable attributes or thoughts on someone else.

• Incorrect: Reaction formation is exhibiting acceptable behavior to make up for or negate unacceptable thoughts.

• Incorrect: Displacement is the redirection of anger toward someone or something less threatening.

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