Which term refers to redirecting emotions, like frustration, from one target to another?

Displacement refers to the psychological defense mechanism where emotions, such as frustration or anger, are redirected from the original source of those feelings to a different, often less threatening target. For instance, if someone is upset with their boss but cannot express that anger directly, they might come home and take it out on a family member or a pet. This mechanism allows individuals to avoid confronting the source of their emotions directly while still expressing those feelings in a different context.

In this case, the other terms do not appropriately capture this specific process. Regression involves reverting to an earlier developmental stage to cope with stress, digression generally refers to straying from the main topic in discourse, and projection is the act of attributing one’s own unwanted emotions or thoughts onto someone else. Therefore, displacement is the most suitable term for the action of diverting emotions from one target to another.