Final answer:
Repression is the process of keeping distressing thoughts and feelings buried in the unconscious, as described in Freud's psychoanalytic theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of keeping thoughts and feelings buried in the unconscious is referred to as repression. Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory delves into the concept of repression extensively, positing that the unconscious mind stores repressed memories and governs many of our behaviors. These memories can trigger various psychological responses and behaviors, often without an individual's conscious awareness. Repression serves as a defense mechanism to prevent anxiety-causing memories from rising to conscious awareness. It can be likened to turning up the radio to drown out a strange noise from a car, where the issue is ignored rather than dealt with directly.