  Inhibition is one of the core concepts in Cognitive Psychology. The idea of
inhibitory mechanisms actively weakening representations in the human mind has
inspired a great number of studies in various research domains. In contrast,
Computer Science only recently has begun to consider inhibition as a second
basic processing quality beside activation. Here, we review psychological
research on inhibition in memory and link the gained insights with the current
efforts in Computer Science of incorporating inhibitory principles for
optimizing information retrieval in Personal Information Management. Four
common aspects guide this review in both domains: 1. The purpose of inhibition
to increase processing efficiency. 2. Its relation to activation. 3. Its links
to contexts. 4. Its temporariness. In summary, the concept of inhibition has
been used by Computer Science for enhancing software in various ways already.
Yet, we also identify areas for promising future developments of inhibitory
mechanisms, particularly context inhibition.
