Eric couldn't remember any of his childhood until he went for psychotherapy to treat his anxiety disorder. After just a few sessions, Eric started remembering the painful incidents in his childhood in which he was beaten and made to feel ashamed. Eric's difficulty in remembering his childhood was probably because of: A. motivated forgetting. B. proactive interference. C. retroactive interference. D. encoding failure.

A

Motivated forgetting

Explanation: Motivated forgetting is a psychological behavioral theory that cites that some people may forget unwanted memories consciously or unconsciously to reduce the anxiety or pain that the memory brings.

This can be said to be a defense mechanism since this deliberate or unconscious behavior reduces the fear or supposed harmful impulses that could arise from remembering that event. hence it can sais that Eric choose to forget his childhood and events that happens then because it causes him pain.