Social Work Examination Services (SWES) Human Behavior Practice Test

When an individual projects feelings from a past relationship onto a new one, what psychological mechanism is at play?

1. Repression

2. Displacement

3. Transference

4. Projection

The correct answer is: Transference

Transference is a psychological mechanism wherein an individual unconsciously redirects emotions, feelings, and desires from one person onto another, often stemming from prior relationships or experiences. In the context of a new relationship, this can manifest as an individual projecting feelings they experienced in a past relationship, which may include feelings of love, mistrust, or unresolved conflicts, onto a partner in the present. This unconscious shift can heavily influence a person’s perceptions and interactions in the new relationship, and it is most commonly discussed in therapeutic settings, where a client might transfer feelings they have about significant past figures (like parents) onto their therapist. Repression refers to the unconscious blocking of painful or uncomfortable feelings from awareness, while displacement involves redirecting feelings about one object or person onto another, typically to avoid direct confrontation. Projection involves misattributing one’s own unacceptable feelings or desires onto another person. These terms describe different aspects of psychological functioning but do not specifically address the phenomenon of relating past experiences to current relationships in the way transference does.