acting out
Expressing through behavior
Acting out is expressing emotions through behavior rather than words, often disruptively.
In psychology, it describes unconscious impulses manifesting as actions: The therapist recognized his aggression as acting out unresolved anger toward his father.
More generally, children act out when they misbehave to get attention or express distress they can't articulate: She's been acting out ever since the divorce.
Uncontrolled display of frustration
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- misbehaviorImproper or unruly conduct
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
- aggressionHostile or attacking behavior
attention-seeking · noncompliance · disruptiveness · impulsivity · whining · sulking · stubbornness · hyperactivity
Purification through emotional expression
- projectionSomething that extends outward
- displacementRemoval from usual location
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
- ventingReleasing emotion verbally
transference · psychodrama · externalization · sublimation · repression · unconscious · defense mechanism · emotional release
Open resistance to authority
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- nonconformityRejection of prevailing norms
insubordination · opposition · revolt · transgression · subversion · provocation · antagonism · mutiny
Carrying out a task
- sceneDramatic unit or locale
- role-playAssume a character temporarily
- dramatizationConverting events to performance
- stagingPreparing for presentation
rehearsal · improv · pantomime · reenactment · skit · charades · demonstration · portrayal
tantrum
Uncontrolled display of frustration
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- misbehaviorImproper or unruly conduct
- disobedienceRefusal to follow orders
aggression · attention-seeking · noncompliance · disruptiveness · impulsivity · whining · sulking · stubbornness · hyperactivity · provocation
catharsis
Purification through emotional expression
- projectionSomething that extends outward
- displacementRemoval from usual location
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
venting · transference · psychodrama · externalization · sublimation · repression · unconscious · defense mechanism · emotional release · trauma response
defiance
Open resistance to authority
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
- protestPublic expression of disapproval
- dissentDisagreement with authority
nonconformity · insubordination · opposition · revolt · transgression · subversion · provocation · antagonism · mutiny · insurgency
performance
Carrying out a task
- sceneDramatic unit or locale
- role-playAssume a character temporarily
- dramatizationConverting events to performance
staging · rehearsal · improv · pantomime · reenactment · skit · charades · demonstration · portrayal · enactment
- adolescencepuberty, teenager, coming-of-age, growing up, teen
- defiancedefiance, disobedience, insubordination, noncompliance, rebellion
- misbehaviormisbehave, misbehavior, mischief, misconduct, naughty
- mischiefmischief, hijinks, antics, pranks, antic
- roleplayroleplay, character, cosplay, D&D, Dungeons & Dragons
- teen behavioreye rolling, back talk, backtalk, door slamming, moodiness
acting outtalking it out
Resolving issues verbally
introspection · self-reflection · internalizing · bottling up · suppression
acting outbehaving
Acting in acceptable ways
good behavior · compliance · obedience · toeing the line · conforming
acting outself-control
Ability to restrain impulses
self-restraint · composure · keeping one's cool · emotional regulation · impulse control
act, action, actor, out, acting, actress, actions, acts, reaction