During a grade-school field trip, Ryan and his friends were running down a hill when he stepped on a snake. He was unharmed but shaken by the experience. When one of his friends mentioned the incident months later, Ryan could not remember running down the hill that day. Freud would say that this is an example of:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Repression is a defense mechanism where the mind represses or forgets certain memories, thoughts, or impulses that are too unpleasant or painful to remember. In this scenario, Ryan stepping on a snake and the fear associated with it was too traumatic for him to remember, so he repressed the memory. The fact that he couldn't recall the incident months later is a characteristic symptom of repression. The other options, reaction formation, sublimation, and displacement, do not apply here as they refer to different defense mechanisms.

During a Grade-School Field Trip, Ryan and His Friends Were