In psychology,
repression refers to a refusal to keep potentially distressing
ideas in mind. As a result of this repression, the ideas are
submerged in the unconscious, from where they may continue
to influence behavior. Repression was postulated by Freud,
and one function of psychoanalysis is to try and uncover repressed
memories and help the patient deal with -- rather than repressing
-- this disturbing information.
Further reading:
Memory News: Forget It Like Freud
by Catherine E. Myers. Copyright © 2006 Memory Loss and the Brain
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