What is the defense mechanism that removes anxiety-arousing thoughts from consciousness known as?

Repression is a defense mechanism that involves the unconscious blocking of unacceptable or anxiety-arousing thoughts, memories, or impulses from conscious awareness. It serves to protect the individual from experiencing anxiety or distress associated with these thoughts. For instance, someone who has experienced a traumatic event may unconsciously repress memories of that event to avoid the emotional pain it causes. This mechanism is considered a foundational concept in psychoanalytic theory, emphasizing how the mind can control access to certain thoughts in response to potentially overwhelming emotions.

The other options present different defense mechanisms: displacement involves redirecting emotions from a threatening target to a safer one, denial entails refusing to acknowledge reality or facts, and projection involves attributing one's own unacceptable feelings or thoughts to someone else. Each serves its distinct purpose in managing internal conflict or emotional discomfort but does not specifically refer to the unconscious removal of anxiety-provoking thoughts like repression does.