Two months ago, your best friend did not win a major scholarship that she had been counting on to help pay for graduate school. Now she is always fighting with you, her boyfriend, and her roommates. She is most likely using the defense mechanism called

A) regression.
B) displacement.
C) projection.
D) identification.

The defense mechanism being described is displacement, which involves redirecting one's negative emotions towards a person or object that is less threatening or neutral. In this case, it seems that your friend is taking out her frustration and anger on those around her rather than confronting the disappointment of not receiving the scholarship directly.