Anxiety and related disorders: displacement in phobia: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Anxiety and related disorders: displacement in phobia

Sample item

In Freud's case of 'Little Hans', a boy developed an intense fear of horses that he unconsciously linked to his fear of his father. Which defence mechanism, together with avoidance, produced the phobia?

ASublimationBDisplacementCDenialDIdentification with the aggressor

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Displacement

In the psychoanalytic model of phobia, anxiety from an unconscious conflict is displaced from its true source onto an external object that can be avoided. This keeps the original conflict out of awareness.

Option by option

A. Sublimation
Sublimation channels impulses into socially acceptable activity and does not produce a phobia.
B. Displacement (correct)
Correct. Fear of the father was displaced onto horses, an object that could be avoided.
C. Denial
Denial refuses to acknowledge reality and does not transfer fear to a new object.
D. Identification with the aggressor
Identification with the aggressor means taking on the traits of a feared person.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is B, Displacement. In the psychoanalytic model of phobia, anxiety from an unconscious conflict is displaced from its true source onto an external object that can be avoided.

Why is "Sublimation" not the answer?

Sublimation channels impulses into socially acceptable activity and does not produce a phobia.

Why is "Denial" not the answer?

Denial refuses to acknowledge reality and does not transfer fear to a new object.

Why is "Identification with the aggressor" not the answer?

Identification with the aggressor means taking on the traits of a feared person.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Anxiety and related disorders: displacement in phobia in Psychiatry. This keeps the original conflict out of awareness.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Anxiety and related disorders: displacement in phobia?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.