The context for momentary forgetting: Studies of groups of patients.

Abstract

This chapter further examines, using the symptom-context method, the phenomenon of momentary forgetting. Its vantage point is very different, however. It looks across a group of patients, not as in the usual symptom-context method within a patient over time. With this new view, one can answer new questions, such as, "How many patients experience momentary forgetting?" or "Which of the conditions discovered in the individual within-patient approach appear by this aggregate of a group of cases approach?" These analyses of data in this chapter come from and build on mainly three sources: Luborsky (1973, 1988) and Luborsky, Sackeim, and Crits-Christoph (1979).Before launching on these results, it will be helpful to provide a brief orienting sketch of what to expect in this chapter: First will be a brief description of the samples of patients and the frequency of their momentary forgetting, then the results will be presented in terms of four methods. Earlier versions of this chapter appeared in Luborsky, L. (1973). Forgetting and remembering (momentary forgetting) during psychotherapy. In M. Mayman (Ed.), Psychtlalyac research Three u p p o ~~h e s to h e expenmental study of sublrminal processes [Monograph 301. Psychologrcul Issues, 8(2),

Only chance and circumstances? Or, how Freudian are Freudian slips? A review of research literature concerning parapraxes.

“…In a further study related to episodes of momentary forgetting in psychoanalytic sessions, Luborsky et al (1996) expanded their investigation to encompass a larger group of patients. They were able to discover specific conditions relating to forgetting but also found out that influences of a general nature are at play.…”

“…This touches on the transference dimension of parapraxes, which we shortly discussed in the first section of this article. Luborsky (Luborsky & Mintz, 1996; Luborsky et al, 1996) conducted his studies with scrutiny and precision, even tried to realize a control condition. His results are very fascinating and support the Freudian hypotheses about parapraxes.…”