displacement activity
1Displacement activity — A displacement activity is the result of two contradicting instincts in a particular situation. Birds, for example, may peck at grass when uncertain whether to attack or flee from an opponent; similarly, a human may scratch his or her head when… …
2displacement activity — UK / US noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms displacement activity : singular displacement activity plural displacement activities 1) something that you do in order to avoid dealing with an unpleasant situation 2) in biology and psychology,… …
3displacement activity — Animal Behav. a behavior performed out of its usual context and apparently irrelevant to the prevailing situation, as eating when an unknown individual approaches, tending to occur when appropiate behaviors, as attacking or fleeing, are in… …
4displacement activity — noun see displacement …
5displacement activity — noun see displacement II …
6displacement activity — noun Psychology an irrelevant activity that arises unconsciously when a conflict between antagonistic urges cannot be resolved (e.g. head scratching when confused) …
7displacement activity — /dɪsˈpleɪsmənt ækˌtɪvəti/ (say dis playsmuhnt ak.tivuhtee) noun Psychology an activity, usually irrelevant to the situation, by which the focus in an area of psychological conflict can be transferred to something more acceptable to the ego …
8displacement activity — noun (C, U) technical something that is done in order to avoid doing something else that you do not want to think about …
9Displacement (psychology) — In Freudian psychology, displacement (German Verschiebung, shift or move ) is an unconscious defense mechanism whereby the mind redirects effects from an object felt to be dangerous or unacceptable to an object felt to be safe or acceptable.[1]… …
10displacement — 1. Removal from the normal location or position. 2. The adding to a fluid (particularly a gas) in an open vessel one of greater density whereby the first is expelled. 3. In chemistry, a change in which one element, radical, or mole …
