To David, Christopher, Paul, and others:

What if both explanations could be right - depending on the circumstances?
How many of you recall more than just a few experiences prior to the age of
five?  What about experiences prior to age 7 or 10?  Many people remember
almost nothing.  Why?  Could this be due to repression of traumatic
experiences?

On the other hand, if a patient completely trusts their psychologist, is it
possible for the psychologist to "lead the witness" so to speak - to implant
false memories based on the psychologist's guesses (or projections)?

Do any of you have any *direct* experience in this area?

Joyce
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Brandon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 11:31 AM
Subject: Re: Recovered memories


> >Stephen Black had a TIPS email a few weeks ago in which he listed myths
> >that many students believe, one of which is that children can repress the
> >memory of having been sexually abused, only for this memory to resurface
> >for many years.
> >
> >He and I got into an extended correspondence about whether the repression
> >of painful memories should really be regarded as a myth ....
> >
> >Dave Lieberman
>
> It might be better to restate the myth to say that repression is the
> _typical_ result of traumatic events; child abuse in particular.
> I don't think that many experimental psychologists (certainly not
> this behaviorist) would argue that unpleasant events _can_ be less
> likely to be recalled, even to the point where they are not recalled.
> The question (and ultimately an empirical one) is whether this is the
> most likely outcome.
> Specifically, when an individual (under prompting from a therapist)
> recalls unpleasant earlier experiences that she did not recall until
> then, is the most likely hypothesis:
> 1. Repression.
> or
> 2. The sort of suggestion effect that Loftus has documented.
>
> -- 
> * PAUL K. BRANDON               [EMAIL PROTECTED]  *
> * Psychology Dept               Minnesota State University  *
> * 23 Armstrong Hall, Mankato, MN 56001     ph 507-389-6217  *
> *    http://www.mankato.msus.edu/dept/psych/welcome.html    *
>
> ---
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