The importance of context: Evidence that contextual representations increase intrusive memories
Abstract
Background and objectives Intrusive memories appear to enter consciousness via involuntary rather than deliberate recollection. Some clinical accounts of PTSD seek to explain this phenomenon by making a clear distinction between the encoding of sensory-based and contextual representations. Contextual representations have been claimed to actively reduce intrusions by anchoring encoded perceptual data for an event in memory. The current analogue trauma study examined this hypothesis by manipulating contextual information independently from encoded sensory-perceptual information. Method Participants' viewed images selected from the International Affective Picture System that depicted scenes of violence and bodily injury. Images were viewed either under neutral conditions or paired with contextual information. Results Two experiments revealed a significant increase in memory intrusions for images paired with contextual information in comparison to the same images viewed under neutral conditions. In contrast to the observed increase in intrusion frequency there was no effect of contextual representations on voluntary memory for the images. The vividness and emotionality of memory intrusions were also unaffected. Limitations The analogue trauma paradigm may fail to replicate the effect of extreme stress on encoding postulated to occur during PTSD. Conclusions These findings question the assertion that intrusive memories develop from a lack of integration between sensory-based and c…
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Studies showing that providing more explanatory information at encoding increases subsequent intrusions are consistent with dual representation theory.
“Studies which show that providing more explanatory information at encoding increases subsequent intrusions (Pearson, 2012; Pearson, et al., 2012) are quite consistent with dual representation theory”
From Episodic memory, perceptual memory, and their interaction: Foundations for a theory of posttraumatic stress disorder. (2014) · cites this paper as Pearson, et al., 2012
The process of contextualization does not bear any straightforward relationship to the amount of contextual or explanatory information present in the input.
“Contrary to recent suggestions (Pearson, 2012; Pearson, et al., 2012), the process does not bear any straightforward relationship to the amount of contextual or explanatory information present in the input.”
From Episodic memory, perceptual memory, and their interaction: Foundations for a theory of posttraumatic stress disorder. (2014) · cites this paper as Pearson, et al., 2012
Extra context at encoding had no effect on voluntary memory but increased involuntary intrusive images.
“Extra context had no effect on VM but increased IVM ( p < .05)”
From Episodic memory, perceptual memory, and their interaction: Foundations for a theory of posttraumatic stress disorder. (2014) · cites this paper as Pearson et al. (2012) exp. 1
Extra context at encoding had no effect on voluntary memory but increased involuntary intrusive images.
“Extra context had no effect on VM but increased IVM ( p < .05)”
From Episodic memory, perceptual memory, and their interaction: Foundations for a theory of posttraumatic stress disorder. (2014) · cites this paper as Pearson et al. (2012) exp. 2
Findings regarding memory contextualization indicate that intrusive memory development is associated with poor perceptual integration and increased negative conceptual processing.
“findings regarding memory contextualization seem to indicate that intrusive memory development is associated with poor perceptual integration, and increased (negative) conceptual processing”
From Intrusive memories of trauma: A target for research bridging cognitive science and its clinical application (2019) · cites this paper as D. G. Pearson, Ross, & Webster, 2012
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- Authors
- Pearson, D. G., Ross, F. D. C., & Webster, V. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Aberdeen (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Pearson, David G.
- ORCID
- Pearson, David G.
- Venue
- Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-03
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 573-580
- ISSN
- 0005-7916 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2079767333
- Cited by
- 58
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 6.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Memory, History, Trauma, Identity
- Keywords
- intrusive memories, context representation, post-traumatic stress disorder, memory encoding, memory vividness
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Cues, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Memory Disorders, Neuropsychological Tests, Photic Stimulation, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Mental Recall, Visual Perception, Young Adult
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