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Which term refers to the primary unconscious defense mechanism that keeps intense, anxiety-producing situations out of a person's conscious awareness?

1. Introjection
2. Regression
3. Repression
4. Denial

User Svrnm
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Repression is the primary unconscious defense mechanism that prevents intense, anxiety-producing thoughts or memories from reaching conscious awareness, acting as a mental block against distress.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term that refers to the primary unconscious defense mechanism that keeps intense, anxiety-producing situations out of a person's conscious awareness is repression. Repression acts like a mental block, preventing overwhelming and potentially distressful memories or feelings from entering one's conscious mind.

To illustrate, if an individual has a memory that is too traumatic, the mind may automatically suppress it to protect the individual from psychological distress, akin to turning up the radio to ignore the unsettling noise of a malfunctioning car, as the memory fades from conscious thought.

User Dorsz
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