THE USMLE TIMES - #94
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Welcome to issue #94 of The USMLE Times… This is the 94th straight week we’ve posted our USMLE Times Newsletter! Thank you to all of our supporters—new and old! As we cruise to our 100th issue, we’re getting ready to make a significant announcement about the future of The USMLE Guys—stay tuned!
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Here’s what’s on tap for issue #94 of the USMLE Times:
Question of the Week (Behavioral Medicine)
This week’s video training (Assured Step 1 Success)
Question deep-dive & breakdown
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Let’s dive in!
A 32-year-old woman has recently been passed over for a promotion at work despite her consistently high performance. She returns home feeling frustrated and disappointed. That evening, she notices her teenage son has left his room in a mess and begins to scold him harshly, although she usually overlooks such behavior. Later, she tells a friend that her son is becoming increasingly disrespectful and rebellious, causing her stress. Additionally, she starts volunteering at a local charity, becoming overly enthusiastic about helping others in need. Which of the following ego defense mechanisms is she primarily exhibiting?
A) Projection
B) Displacement
C) Reaction Formation
D) Sublimation
E) Regression
The answer & question breakdown is at the bottom of the post.
🔗 LINKS TO RECENT POSTS
USMLE Times Issue #93 - READ HERE
USMLE Practice Question #61 - TRY IT HERE
USMLE Practice Question #60 - TRY IT HERE
This week’s free video training 👇🏼
ANSWER + QUESTION BREAKDOWN
The Mental Model for this week’s question:
Step 1. Determine the question’s goal (Identify the ego defense mechanism being displayed). This is a 1st order question: 1) ID the displayed defense mechanism.
Step 2. Read the vignette and identify the mechanism on display.
Step 3. Ask yourself which ego defense mechanism is “primary” in this scenario.
Step 4. Look at the answer choices to identify the option closest to your statement from “step 3” above.
GENERAL ANALYSIS
In this scenario, the woman is exhibiting several behaviors that can be analyzed in terms of ego defense mechanisms. However, only one is considered to be “primary.” Let’s examine each option to determine which mechanism is primarily at play:
ANSWER CHOICES:
ANSWER CHOICE A: Projection
Projection involves attributing one's unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone else. While she does mention her son's disrespectful behavior, her primary focus is not on attributing her feelings to him.
ANSWER CHOICE B: Displacement
Displacement involves redirecting emotions or impulses from the original source of distress to a safer or more acceptable target. For example, the woman's frustration and disappointment from being passed over for a promotion are redirected toward her son when she scolds him harshly for his messy room. This is a classic example of displacement, in which emotions are transferred from the workplace to her son.
ANSWER CHOICE C: Reaction formation
Reaction formation involves converting unwanted or dangerous thoughts, feelings, or impulses into their opposites. This mechanism does not fit the scenario, as she is not expressing the opposite of her feelings.
ANSWER CHOICE D: Sublimation
Sublimation involves channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities. Her volunteering at a charity could be seen as sublimation, but it is not the primary defense mechanism based on the context.
ANSWER CHOICE E: Regression
Regression involves reverting to an earlier stage of development in response to stress. There is no indication that she is reverting to childlike behavior.
THE VERDICT…
The primary defense mechanism exhibited by the woman in this scenario is displacement. She redirects her frustration and disappointment from not receiving a job promotion toward her son by scolding him for a messy room. This redirection allows her to express her emotions in a safer or more acceptable situation. While her volunteering could involve sublimation, the immediate response to her work-related stress is best explained by displacement.
FINAL ANSWER: B: Displacement
That’s it for issue #94 of The USMLE Times!
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