Which theory regarding the psychological motivation behind prejudice and racism could also be known as the kick-the-dog theory?

• A. Authoritarian Personality
• B. Frustration-Aggression-Displacement Hypothesis
• C. Self-Regulation of Prejudice
• D. Taifel's Social Identity Theory

Answer: (B)

When people feel frustrated, the theory says that anger can show up as aggression. If the real target of that anger isn’t available or is socially unacceptable to attack, the aggression can be redirected to a safer, weaker target—often a group seen as less powerful. That shifting of hostility onto a scapegoat is the “kick-the-dog” idea, which is why this explanation is described as the frustration–aggression–displacement view. It ties prejudice and racism to how frustration can be channeled outward when the original source of anger isn’t protestable.

The other options describe different pathways to prejudice: an authoritarian personality focuses on certain personality traits; self-regulation looks at how people control prejudiced responses in the moment; social identity theory emphasizes group membership and identity dynamics rather than displaced aggression from frustration.