Often when someone experiences life events that are too painful to deal with, unconsciously, they protect themselves by removing this information from their conscious awareness. This method of defense is known as repression. But because there is no scientific evidence to back up the notion, psychologists are hesitant to accept this information as fact. In an attempt to determine the validity of Elaine’s claims, certain aspects must be taken into consideration. For example, false memory, source misattribution and imagination inflation, are all factors that can contribute to Elaine’s mental misinformation. When Elaine underwent the process of psychotherapy she may have experienced feelings she mistook for real. She then attributed these feelings
