ABSTRACT
The concept of repression itself appears fairly straightforward. However, the apparent simplicity of repression as motivated ignoring betrays a hidden complexity with respect to understanding the relation between repression and defence. Far from repression keeping psychoanalysis out of science, this chapter proposes that repression—as motivated ignoring—is one of Freud’s most important contributions to the psychology of science for the simple reason that it highlights the possibility of motivated blind spots in scientific enquiry. Furthermore, both the evidential standing of repression and the logic of repression theory are questioned. The significance of postulating a series of repressive activities is seen in Sigmund Freud’s discussion in The resistances to psycho-analysis where he addresses a variety of factors that might impact upon the scientific assessment of theories. Psychodynamic account of human nature is important because it addresses the systematic connection between motivation, affects, cognition, as well as indicating how these factors may combine to contribute to motivate ignoring in scientific research.
