diff -u b/core/modules/entity/lib/Drupal/entity/Plugin/Core/Entity/EntityDisplay.php b/core/modules/entity/lib/Drupal/entity/Plugin/Core/Entity/EntityDisplay.php
--- b/core/modules/entity/lib/Drupal/entity/Plugin/Core/Entity/EntityDisplay.php
+++ b/core/modules/entity/lib/Drupal/entity/Plugin/Core/Entity/EntityDisplay.php
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 use Drupal\Core\Annotation\Translation;
 
 /**
- * Configuration encapsulator that provides all the data needed by block-driven
- * controllers to render an entity.
+ * Configuration entity that contains display options for all components of a
+ * rendered entity in a given view mode..
  *
  * @Plugin(
  *   id = "entity_display",
diff -u b/core/modules/entity/lib/Drupal/entity/Tests/EntityDisplayTest.php b/core/modules/entity/lib/Drupal/entity/Tests/EntityDisplayTest.php
--- b/core/modules/entity/lib/Drupal/entity/Tests/EntityDisplayTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/entity/lib/Drupal/entity/Tests/EntityDisplayTest.php
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
   protected function setUp() {
     parent::setUp();
 
-    $this->enableModules(array('system', 'field'));
+    $this->enableModules(array('system', 'entity', 'field'));
   }
 
   /**
diff -u b/core/modules/field/field.install b/core/modules/field/field.install
--- b/core/modules/field/field.install
+++ b/core/modules/field/field.install
@@ -460,7 +460,8 @@
 
             // Set options in the display.
             $new_options = array('visible' => $display_options['visible']);
-            // The display object only stores the weight for 'visible' extra fields.
+            // The display object only stores the weight for 'visible' extra
+            // fields.
             if ($display_options['visible']) {
               $new_options['weight'] = $display_options['weight'];
             }
diff -u b/core/modules/user/user.install b/core/modules/user/user.install
--- b/core/modules/user/user.install
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.install
@@ -431,34 +431,32 @@
       ),
       'weight' => -1,
     ),
-    'display' => array(
-      'default' => array(
-        'label' => 'hidden',
-        'type' => 'image',
-        'settings' => array(
-          'image_style' => 'thumbnail',
-          'image_link' => 'content',
-        ),
-      ),
-      'compact' => array(
-        'label' => 'hidden',
-        'type' => 'image',
-        'settings' => array(
-          'image_style' => 'thumbnail',
-          'image_link' => 'content',
-        ),
-      ),
-    ),
   );
   field_create_instance($instance);
 
-  // Remove 'summary' pseudo-field from compact view mode on the User entity.
-  $bundle_settings = field_bundle_settings('user', 'user');
-  $bundle_settings['extra_fields']['display']['member_for']['compact'] = array(
-    'visible' => FALSE,
-    'weight' => 10,
-  );
-  field_bundle_settings('user', 'user', $bundle_settings);
+  // Assign display settings for the 'default' and 'compact' view modes.
+  entity_get_display('user', 'user', 'default')
+    ->setComponent('user_picture', array(
+      'label' => 'hidden',
+      'type' => 'image',
+      'settings' => array(
+        'image_style' => 'thumbnail',
+        'image_link' => 'content',
+      ),
+    ))
+    ->save();
+  entity_get_display('user', 'user', 'compact')
+    ->setComponent('user_picture', array(
+      'label' => 'hidden',
+      'type' => 'image',
+      'settings' => array(
+        'image_style' => 'thumbnail',
+        'image_link' => 'content',
+      ),
+    ))
+    // Additionally, hide 'summary' pseudo-field from compact view mode..
+    ->removeComponent('member_for')
+    ->save();
 }
 
 /**