In displacement, anger is redirected toward a safer target. Which of the following is an example?

• A. Kicking a dog
• B. Screaming at a coworker
• C. Journaling emotions
• D. Imagining the boss as a cartoon

Answer: (A)

Displacement involves shifting a strong, uncomfortable emotion away from its real source onto a safer, more acceptable target. Here, anger is redirected to a dog rather than to whatever situation or person triggered it, making the dog the safer recipient because it’s less likely to fight back or escalate the conflict. The other options don’t fit displacement: screaming at a coworker targets the actual source of anger, journaling is a healthy outlet for processing emotions, and imagining the boss as a cartoon is a cognitive or symbolic way to soften feelings rather than outwardly redirecting aggression.