Question

Ed is an angry child whose anger has gotten him into trouble at school. His teacher suggests having him play football to channel some of this anger into a healthier and more productive outlet. Which psychodynamic concept is being illustrated: id, ego, superego, denial, repression, reaction formation, rationalization, displacement, or sublimation? Explain why it is that concept

Answer 1

Answer:

Sublimation

Explanation:

Sublimation is a coping mechanism in behavioral psychology where negative instincts are channeled to more positive activities to curb the negative urges. For example, a person could have a negative attitude like anger. If he realizes that this anger could have a destructive effect on him and decides to channel it to something more productive like cleaning the house, then he is applying sublimation as a coping mechanism.

This is what the teacher is trying to do in Ed's case. Having seen that Ed has a negative disposition to anger, the teacher is trying to redirect the energy that would have been expended in anger to something more productive, in this case, playing football.