SELECTIVE AMNESIA Meaning and
Definition
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Selective amnesia is a psychological condition characterized by the partial or complete loss of memory associated with specific events, experiences, or information, while other memories remain intact. It refers to a conscious or unconscious process where an individual deliberately or involuntarily forgets certain details or aspects of their past, often as a defense mechanism to cope with trauma, emotional distress, or unpleasant memories.
When a person experiences selective amnesia, they may have an impaired ability to recall or recollect specific incidents, circumstances, or even entire periods of time. This type of memory loss is typically targeted towards distressing or traumatic events, serving as a protective mechanism to shield the individual from the emotional pain associated with those memories.
Selective amnesia can manifest in various forms and degrees of severity, ranging from the inability to recall isolated incidents to a more profound and comprehensive loss of memory related to a specific period or situation. In some cases, selective amnesia may be self-induced, either consciously or unconsciously, as a way to escape guilt, shame, or embarrassment associated with past actions or behaviors.
It is important to note that selective amnesia differs from other memory impairments such as retrograde or anterograde amnesia, which involve the loss of memory for events preceding or following a specific incident, respectively. Selective amnesia targets specific memories, leaving other cognitive functions and memory abilities relatively unaffected.
Overall, selective amnesia is a psychological phenomenon characterized by the selective loss or suppression of certain memories, often as a defense mechanism or coping strategy to protect oneself from emotional distress or trauma.
Common Misspellings for SELECTIVE AMNESIA
- aelective amnesia
- zelective amnesia
- xelective amnesia
- delective amnesia
- eelective amnesia
- welective amnesia
- swlective amnesia
- sslective amnesia
- sdlective amnesia
- srlective amnesia
- s4lective amnesia
- s3lective amnesia
- sekective amnesia
- sepective amnesia
- seoective amnesia
- selwctive amnesia
- selsctive amnesia
- seldctive amnesia
- selrctive amnesia
Etymology of SELECTIVE AMNESIA
The term "selective amnesia" is a combination of two words: "selective" and "amnesia".
- The word "selective" traces back to the Latin word "selectus", which means "chosen" or "picked out". It entered the English language in the 1620s and refers to the act of carefully choosing or picking things according to a specific criterion.
- The term "amnesia" comes from the Greek word "amnēsia", which means "forgetfulness" or "loss of memory". Its roots are "a-" (meaning "without" or "not") and "mimnēskesthai" (meaning "to remember"). "Amnesia" was first used in English in the early 18th century to describe a condition characterized by the inability to remember certain information or events.
Similar spelling words for SELECTIVE AMNESIA
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