Regression is the act of which of the following?

• A. Retreating to earlier or more primitive forms of behavior.
• B. Channeling anxiety into socially acceptable activities.
• C. Denying reality.
• D. Identifying impulses through fantasy.

Answer: (A)

Regression is a defense mechanism where a person reverts to earlier, often more childish, ways of behaving to cope with stress or anxiety. When things feel overwhelming, returning to these familiar patterns feels safer and easier, like a child seeking comfort through childish actions or routines after a tough event. That’s why describing regression as retreating to earlier or more primitive forms of behavior fits best.

Channeling anxiety into socially acceptable activities is sublimation, not regression. Denying reality is denial, another defense mechanism. Identifying impulses through fantasy relates more to fantasy-based coping or other defenses, not the specific move back to an earlier developmental stage that regression describes.