displacement activity
"Displacement activity" describes aimless or irrelevant behaviors performed when faced with conflicting motivations or stress, often as a coping mechanism.
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Definition
C1Psychology
(academic, behavioral)Behavior that seems irrelevant or out of context, often occurring when an individual faces conflicting motivations or stress.
Example
- When nervous, she often engages in displacement activities like tapping her foot or playing with her hair.
- The cat started grooming itself when it couldn't decide whether to attack or flee.
B2General
(informal, everyday)An action done needlessly, often to procrastinate or avoid a task.
Example
- Cleaning his desk was a displacement activity to avoid starting the project.
- She organized her bookshelf as a displacement activity instead of studying for her exams.