A step backward in the recovered memory debate.

A bibliometric analysis of the recovered memory controversy in the 21st century

“…This collaboration of research led psychologists to conclude that these individuals had most likely repressed their memories, especially if the experienced violence occurred at an early age (see Williams, 1994). However, at the same time, memory researchers have challenged the idea that trauma might lead people to repress painful memories, making them unable to access it deliberately, before years later being able to recover those memories without significant loss of accuracy (e.g., Clancy, McNally, & Schacter, 1999;Holmes, 1990;Lilienfeld & Loftus, 1999;Lindsay & Read, 1994;Loftus, 1993Loftus, , 1994Loftus, Joslyn, & Polage, 1998;Roediger & Bergman, 1998). Evidence supporting this special mechanism was critically lacking, because no studies provided strong support for validity of repression.…”

Repressed memories: Just the facts.

“…We have already described several important pieces of research (Diven, 1937;Haggard, 1943;Shevrin, Bond, Brakel, Hertel, & Williams, 1996), which should be read by the interested reader, not Lilienfeld & Loftus's (or other secondary sources') characterizations of them. We do not address point by point the newest comments about what we did or did not say earlier (Lilienfeld & Loftus, 1999;Pendergrast, 1999). Obviously, we find the recent remarks distorting; however, we doubt that more "they said we said, but we actually said" dialogue will add much.…”

Recovered memories of trauma as a special (or not so special) form of involuntary autobiographical memories

“…On the one hand, therapists considered that it was possible for traumatic memories to be repressed and thus pushed outside the boundaries of consciousness, before returning in their original form, notably through therapeutic methods (e.g., Bass and Davis, 1988 ). On the other hand, skeptics, mainly experimental psychologists, but also several clinical psychologists and psychiatrists, considered that such recovered memories were probably false memories suggested by third parties, generally psychotherapists (in this case memories of events that never took place, thus rejecting the hypothesis of traumatic repression, Loftus, 1993 ; Holmes, 1994 ; Lilienfeld and Loftus, 1999 ). The “memory wars” controversy came to a head when it reached the courtroom, where people were accused of committing sexual abuse based on memories recovered in psychotherapy ( Loftus, 1993 ).…”