The Reality of Repressed Memories
Elizabeth F. Loftus
University of Washington
Keywords; repressed memories, delayed discovery doctrine, False Memory Syndrome Foundation
Abstract
One of the most unforgettable concepts in the mid 80’s early 90’s would be repressed memories. Repressed memories would store disturbing events that occur in our lives, that traumatic event can resurface twenty to forty years down the road. In the early 1990’s there was a rise for repressed memory and claims of childhood sex abuse that were repressed for years (Loftus, Elizabeth 1993). The rise of these claims caused victims to start suing their suspected perpetrators, even though it had happened decades ago or even longer. Judges and juries had to …show more content…
15). For instance, in 1990 there was an up rise to these claim that “repressed memory” due to the help of a therapist preforming hypnosis they would recover those memory of abuse (Provence 2003). During this time a self-help book came out called, “The Courage to Heal” this book was to help out woman and discover why they are suffering from depression or an eating disorder. This book allowed you to perform an evaluation about your suffering and if you happen to check three off of the list they provided, you were probably have been abused which been said to be “really bad therapy” (Provence …show more content…
Two subjects A and B both were claiming to be abused by their father. Subject A was in therapy and remembered her repressed memories of the assault from childhood until she was twenty years old. Subject A was influenced by her therapist. Subject B is aware of the abuse that had happened to her as a child and never once told anyone, but told her therapist. Both of these scenario are the same expect for repressed memories and non-repressed memories. This study did show a slight skeptical towards subject A rather than subject B, but at the end, the majority of the people participating in this mock trail still believed both subject A and B (Loftus
Elizabeth F. Loftus
University of Washington
Keywords; repressed memories, delayed discovery doctrine, False Memory Syndrome Foundation
Abstract
One of the most unforgettable concepts in the mid 80’s early 90’s would be repressed memories. Repressed memories would store disturbing events that occur in our lives, that traumatic event can resurface twenty to forty years down the road. In the early 1990’s there was a rise for repressed memory and claims of childhood sex abuse that were repressed for years (Loftus, Elizabeth 1993). The rise of these claims caused victims to start suing their suspected perpetrators, even though it had happened decades ago or even longer. Judges and juries had to …show more content…
15). For instance, in 1990 there was an up rise to these claim that “repressed memory” due to the help of a therapist preforming hypnosis they would recover those memory of abuse (Provence 2003). During this time a self-help book came out called, “The Courage to Heal” this book was to help out woman and discover why they are suffering from depression or an eating disorder. This book allowed you to perform an evaluation about your suffering and if you happen to check three off of the list they provided, you were probably have been abused which been said to be “really bad therapy” (Provence …show more content…
Two subjects A and B both were claiming to be abused by their father. Subject A was in therapy and remembered her repressed memories of the assault from childhood until she was twenty years old. Subject A was influenced by her therapist. Subject B is aware of the abuse that had happened to her as a child and never once told anyone, but told her therapist. Both of these scenario are the same expect for repressed memories and non-repressed memories. This study did show a slight skeptical towards subject A rather than subject B, but at the end, the majority of the people participating in this mock trail still believed both subject A and B (Loftus