<blockquote>
  <p>Is there a term for that?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The closest term I can think of relevant to psychology is the Freudian concept of <strong><em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaction_formation" rel="nofollow noreferrer">reaction formation</a></em></strong> the classic example being the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/homophobic-maybe-youre-gay.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">gay homophobe</a> </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-08T07:54:31.033Z
2018-11-08T08:56:16.070Z
2018-11-08T08:56:16.070Z
faustus
<p>This is not really a scientific term, but it instantly reminds me of <strong><a href="https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/keep-up-appearances" rel="nofollow noreferrer">keeping up appearances</a></strong>: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>To pretend that everything is good, for example with your marriage or your financial situation, even though you are having problems.</p>
  
  <p><em>Their marriage was over, but they wanted to keep up appearances for
  the children.</em></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-06T16:56:43.527Z
2018-11-06T20:55:21.167Z
2018-11-06T20:55:21.167Z
AliceD
<p>What you describes may refer to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_faith" rel="nofollow noreferrer">bad faith</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li><p>Some examples of bad faith include: a company representative who negotiates with union workers while having no intent of compromising; a prosecutor who argues a legal position that he knows to be false; an insurer who uses language and reasoning which are deliberately misleading in order to deny a claim.</p>
</li>
<li><p>In his book Being and Nothingness, the philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre defined bad faith (French: mauvaise foi) as hiding the truth from oneself. The fundamental question about bad faith self-deception is how it is possible. In order for a liar to successfully lie to the victim of the lie, the liar must know that what is being said is false. In order to be successful at lying, the victim must believe the lie to be true. When a person is in bad faith self-deception, the person is both the liar and the victim of the lie. So at the same time the liar, as liar, believes the lie to be false, and as victim believes it to be true. So there is a contradiction in that a person in bad faith self-deception believes something to be true and false at the same time.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>Finally, that person can also have <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attitude_(psychology)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">implicit attitude</a>, <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive-aggressive_behavior" rel="nofollow noreferrer">passive-aggressive</a> and <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microaggression" rel="nofollow noreferrer">microaggression</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-06T15:08:54.957Z
2018-11-07T02:51:46.030Z
2020-06-17T09:55:31.633Z
Ooker
<p>For instance a person who is racist wanting to hire black people because they want to project an image that they aren't racist. Or if they doesn't like obese people but still interacts with them to make it look like they actually like them.</p>

<p>Is there a term for that?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-06T20:02:08.717Z
Would this not be better suited for [English Language and Usage SE](https://english.stackexchange.com/)?
Steven Jeuris
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-07T11:04:02.227Z
Not actually answer your question, but may be interesting for you: [What do you call an 'unselfish' action made with a selfish reason?](https://english.stackexchange.com/q/251056/80007)
Ooker
<social-psychology><terminology><self-control>
What is the term for doing things or behaviors that contrast to what you really feel?
Otis Patrick Jones
# What is the term for doing things or behaviors that contrast to what you really feel?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-11-06)

For instance a person who is racist wanting to hire black people because they want to project an image that they aren't racist. Or if they doesn't like obese people but still interacts with them to make it look like they actually like them.

Is there a term for that?

**Tags:** social-psychology, terminology, self-control

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Would this not be better suited for [English Language and Usage SE](https://english.stackexchange.com/)?  
> **username_2**: Not actually answer your question, but may be interesting for you: [What do you call an 'unselfish' action made with a selfish reason?](https://english.stackexchange.com/q/251056/80007)  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-11-08. Score: 3

> Is there a term for that?

The closest term I can think of relevant to psychology is the Freudian concept of ***[reaction formation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reaction_formation)*** the classic example being the [gay homophobe](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/opinion/sunday/homophobic-maybe-youre-gay.html)


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-11-06. Score: 1

This is not really a scientific term, but it instantly reminds me of **[keeping up appearances](https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/keep-up-appearances)**:

> To pretend that everything is good, for example with your marriage or your financial situation, even though you are having problems.
>
> *Their marriage was over, but they wanted to keep up appearances for
> the children.*


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-11-06. Score: 1

What you describes may refer to [bad faith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_faith):

> * Some examples of bad faith include: a company representative who negotiates with union workers while having no intent of compromising; a prosecutor who argues a legal position that he knows to be false; an insurer who uses language and reasoning which are deliberately misleading in order to deny a claim.
> * In his book Being and Nothingness, the philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre defined bad faith (French: mauvaise foi) as hiding the truth from oneself. The fundamental question about bad faith self-deception is how it is possible. In order for a liar to successfully lie to the victim of the lie, the liar must know that what is being said is false. In order to be successful at lying, the victim must believe the lie to be true. When a person is in bad faith self-deception, the person is both the liar and the victim of the lie. So at the same time the liar, as liar, believes the lie to be false, and as victim believes it to be true. So there is a contradiction in that a person in bad faith self-deception believes something to be true and false at the same time.

Finally, that person can also have [implicit attitude](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attitude_(psychology)), [passive-aggressive](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive-aggressive_behavior) and [microaggression](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microaggression).


---

