What psychological phenomenon denies the memory of a traumatic event, though the individual may still remember aspects of it?

Repression is a psychological phenomenon where an individual unconsciously blocks out memories of traumatic events. This process occurs as a defense mechanism to protect the person from the emotional distress associated with those memories. While the individual may not consciously recall the traumatic event itself, they might still retain some fragmented memories or associated details that can influence their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

In contrast, suppression is a conscious effort to forget something, and schema distortion relates to how our pre-existing beliefs can alter our memories. Decay refers to the fading of memories over time, which is distinct from the active blocking that occurs in repression. Therefore, recognizing repression helps in understanding how the mind protects itself from overwhelming experiences while still being able to retain some contextual elements of those experiences.