Which defense mechanism redirects unacceptable impulses into socially approved activities?

• A. Regression
• B. Repression
• C. Self-Concept
• D. Sublimation

Answer: (D)

Sublimation is a defense mechanism where unacceptable impulses are redirected into socially acceptable or constructive activities. This process satisfies the underlying urge while transforming it into something constructive that society approves of, which reduces anxiety and maintains social functioning. For example, aggressive energy can be channeled into competitive sports or intense artistic work, turning potential harm into something beneficial. By contrast, regression involves reverting to earlier, childlike behaviors under stress, rather than redirecting impulses outward. Repression pushes troubling thoughts out of conscious awareness rather than transforming them into acceptable actions. Self-concept is about how a person perceives themselves and is not a mechanism for handling impulses. So sublimation uniquely fits the idea of turning unacceptable impulses into approved, productive outlets.