displacement activity The behaviour of an animal which is or appears to be irrelevant to the situation in which it occurs and which may interrupt other activity. It may result from conflicting motivation, in which two motivations cancel one another, allowing a less urgent motivation (e.g. feeding) to dominate behaviour; or it may arise because the animal is prevented from attaining a goal, and the consequent frustration causes the attention to be switched to another stimulus to which it then responds.

displacement activity Behaviour of an animal that appears to be irrelevant to the situation in which it occurs and that may interrupt other activity. It may reduce conflict; or it may arise because the animal is prevented from attaining a goal, and the consequent frustration causes the attention to be switched to another stimulus to which it then responds.

displacement activity An activity shown by an animal that appears to be irrelevant to its situation. Displacement activities are frequently observed when there is conflict between opposing drives. For example, birds in aggressive situations, in which there are simultaneous drives to attack and to flee, may preen their feathers as a displacement activity.