Which defense mechanism describes transferring an emotion from an individual to a similar person?

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Displacement is when strong feelings directed at one person are redirected toward a safer or more convenient target, often someone who is similar in some way. The emotion is transferred so the person can express it without dealing with the original source. For example, anger toward a boss might be redirected toward a family member or a coworker who resembles the boss in some respect. This keeps the emotional charge but shifts the target to an easier-to-handle recipient.

Regressing would mean acting in a childish way under stress, not moving the emotion to another person. Sublimation involves channeling unacceptable impulses into constructive activities, not transferring them to someone similar. Introjection is about internalizing others’ beliefs or standards as one’s own, not about shifting emotions to another person.