Psychology MCAT Practice Exam

What is the primary function of repression in ego defense mechanisms?

1. Completely forget a memory

2. Refuse to acknowledge a memory

3. Redirect forbidden impulses onto less dangerous ones

4. Justify impulsive behavior

The correct answer is: Completely forget a memory

Repression serves as a crucial defense mechanism in psychoanalytic theory, primarily designed to protect the individual from experiencing anxiety associated with distressing memories or thoughts. The process involves unconsciously pushing unwanted memories and feelings out of conscious awareness, thereby allowing a person to function without being overwhelmed by these painful emotions or thoughts. While the selected answer suggests that repression means completely forgetting a memory, the essence of repression lies in the unconscious effort to bury such memories rather than erasing them entirely. The memories may still exist at some level but are kept outside of conscious awareness to mitigate emotional distress. The other options describe different defense mechanisms: refusing to acknowledge a memory correlates more closely with denial; redirecting impulses aligns with displacement; and justifying impulsive behavior is more characteristic of rationalization. Each of these serves different roles in managing psychological stress, but they do not encapsulate the specific function of repression, which is to prevent distressing thoughts from surfacing into consciousness.