Noun: reaction formation
- (psychiatry) a defence mechanism in which a person unconsciously develops attitudes and behaviour that are the opposite of unacceptable repressed desires and impulses and serve to conceal them
"his strict morality is just a reaction formation to hide his sexual drive"
Derived forms: reaction formations
Type of: defence [Brit, Cdn], defence mechanism [Brit, Cdn], defence reaction [Brit, Cdn], defense [US], defense mechanism [US], defense reaction [US]
Encyclopedia: Reaction formation