LMSW Practice Test

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Prepare for the LMSW Exam with targeted flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with detailed explanations. Enhance your expertise and excel on your test!

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A person who is passive and compliant but unconsciously has powerful aggressive and hateful feelings is using which defense mechanism?

Projection
Reaction formation
Repression
Sublimation

The correct answer is: Projection

The defense mechanism described in the question is best identified as projection. In this context, a person who appears passive and compliant may harbor aggressive and hateful feelings that they are not consciously aware of. Instead of acknowledging these feelings, they might project them onto others, attributing aggression or hostility to people around them. This allows the individual to avoid confronting their own emotions while still expressing those feelings indirectly. Projection serves as a psychological shield, protecting the individual from the discomfort of self-awareness regarding their aggressive impulses. Through this mechanism, a person can rationalize their behavior by believing others are the ones exhibiting these negative feelings, thereby maintaining a self-image of being non-confrontational or agreeable. This understanding of projection provides insight into how underlying emotions can influence behavior and interpersonal relationships, despite the person’s outward passivity.