Ned's parents got divorced when he was seven years old. Ned's older sister vividly remembers the frequent, loud screaming matches between her mother and father in the weeks prior to the divorce, but Ned claims that he has no memories of his parents ever fighting. If Ned has unconsciously blocked awareness of those painful memories, it would be an example of:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ned's lack of memory of the fights between his parents despite his sister's vivid recollection suggests that he may have unconsciously repressed those memories as a coping mechanism. Repression involves unconsciously blocking painful or disturbing memories from conscious awareness. Suppression is a conscious effort to push unwanted thoughts or memories out of awareness, while proactive interference and memory decay are not relevant to this situation.

Ned's Parents Got Divorced When He Was Seven Years Old