What term describes the inability to retrieve memories from much before the age of three?

The term that describes the inability to retrieve memories from much before the age of three is known as infantile amnesia. This concept is rooted in the understanding of how memory develops in early childhood. Research has shown that very young children do not have the cognitive maturity necessary to formulate and retain long-lasting memories, which leads to the phenomenon where individuals cannot recall events from their early years, typically before age three.

Infantile amnesia is significant because it relates to brain development and the formation of autobiographical memories. Most theories suggest that the hippocampus, a crucial area for memory formation, is not fully developed in infants, which contributes to this inability to retain early memories.

The other terms provided do not relate to this specific phenomenon of memory retrieval in early childhood. For instance, heuristics refer to mental shortcuts that ease the cognitive load of making decisions, while gambler's fallacy relates to the belief that past random events affect future probabilities. Imagination inflation involves the increased confidence in the accuracy of an imagined event; none of these concepts pertain to the developmental aspect of memory associated with infancy.