Lewis cannot remember the details of the torture he experienced as a prisoner of war. According to Freud,Lewis's failure to remember these painful memories is an example of

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Repression is a defense mechanism in which a person unconsciously blocks out painful memories or thoughts as a way of avoiding anxiety or trauma. In Lewis's case, his inability to remember the details of his torture is likely due to his brain repressing those memories as a way of protecting his psyche from the trauma. Retrieval failure refers specifically to the inability to access a stored memory, but in Lewis's case, the memories are not even stored in his conscious mind. Reconstruction refers to the altering or filling in of memories over time, but Lewis simply cannot remember the memories at all. Working memory refers to the temporary storage and manipulation of information for cognitive tasks, and is not related to long-term memory of traumatic events.

Lewis Cannot Remember the Details of the Torture He Experienced