Behavior
acting out
act·ing out
Subclass of:
Defense Mechanisms
Definitions related to acting out:
  • Behavioral response to an unconscious drive or impulse that brings about temporary partial relief of inner tension; relief is attained by reacting to a present situation as if it were the situation that originally gave rise to the drive or impulse. Common in borderline states.
    Sadock's Comprehensive Glossary of Psychiatry and Psychology
    BJ Sadock Titles Press, 2012
  • Expressing unconscious emotional conflicts or feelings, often of hostility or love, through overt behavior.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
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