Active Inhibition

Active inhibition is the barrier we create between our long term memory and conscious mind that stops us from accessing it. 1

The advantage of this is systematic forgetting such that we only have the gist of the information available to us/what is relevant.


  1. MacLeod, Colin M. “The Concept of Inhibition in Cognition.” In Inhibition in Cognition., edited by David S. Gorfein and Colin M. MacLeod, 3–23. Washington: American Psychological Association, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1037/11587-001