Final answer:
This is an example of retrograde amnesia, where Betty is unable to recall items from before a car accident but can remember things after the accident.
Step-by-step explanation:
This is an example of retrograde amnesia, which is a type of memory loss for events that occurred before a traumatic brain injury. In this case, Betty is unable to recall items from before the car accident but can remember things after the accident.
Retrograde amnesia is commonly caused by brain trauma, such as a blow to the head. It is believed that damage to the brain, specifically the hippocampus, impairs the ability to transfer information from short-term to long-term memory, leading to the inability to consolidate memories.