Memory, Trauma, and Dissociation

Cultural Factors in Traumatic Stress

“…For instance Mol et al (2005) found that PTSD symptoms were as commonly associated with life events such as an illness or problems at work as they were with events that meet Criterion A. The construct has been a source of even greater controversy in its implication that traumatic memories can be actively repressed and then made inaccessible to memory (Bloom, 1997), a notion that is not supported by research on memory (Lynn, Knox, Fassler, Lillienfeld, & Loftus, 2004;McNally, 2004). All of these controversies warrant substantial caution in our application of the PTSD construct cross-culturally.…”

Personality Characteristics Associated with Susceptibility to False Memories

“…Other studies have found no relationship between dissociative experiences and false memory (Mazzoni, Loftus, Sietz, & Lynn, 1999;Wilkinson & Hyman, 1998). In their review of this literature, Lynn, Knox, Fassler, Lilienfeld, and Loftus (2004) suggested that, in aggregate, these studies indicate that people with dissociative tendencies have at least a marginal risk of developing false memories. It remains to be seen whether nonclinical personality characteristics, such as extroversion and feeling types, will lead to similar inconsistencies in relation to false recognition.…”

Does Repression Exist? Memory, Pathogenic, Unconscious and Clinical Evidence

“…In light of the difficulties that the Freudian repression has encountered, some investigators suggested the notion of dissociation as an alternative concept (e.g., see Bonanno & Keuler, 1998;Underwager & Wakefield, 1998). Dissociation is used to account for cases where patients failed to remember or had partial recollection of trauma, as well as for deviant behaviors such as depersonalization, amnesia, and identity confusion (e.g., see Bonanno & Keuler, 1998;Lynn et al, 2004). However, as noted by Bowers and Farvolden (1996), "repression and dissociation are sometimes used interchangeably, and even when this is not the case, the differences between them are often unclear" (p. 358; see also Eagle, 2000a;Eisen & Lynn, 2001).…”

“…An additional challenge to the psychoanalytic concept of repression concerns the assumption that repressed memories are preserved for an indefinite period of time, and can be recovered in their original form through special means such as hypnosis and psychoanalytic therapy (e.g., see Lynn et al, 2004;McNally, 2003). As noted by Wachtel (1977), "Freud was extremely impressed with the 'freshness' and vividness of the memories revealed after digging through the layers of resistance" (pp.…”