Forgetting trauma stimuli
Abstract
Previous work reported in this journal suggested that the cognitive capacities of high dissociators are impaired under conditions of focused (selective) attention, but not under conditions of divided attention, compared with the cognitive capacities of low dissociators. Using a directed-forgetting paradigm, the current study demonstrated that under divided-attention demands, high dissociators have impaired memory for words associated with trauma (e.g., incest) but not for neutral words, as compared with low dissociators. In addition, high dissociators reported significantly more trauma history and significantly more betrayal trauma (abuse by a caregiver) than low dissociators. These results are consistent with the proposal that dissociation may aid individuals with histories of betrayal traumas to keep threatening information out of awareness.
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Under divided attention conditions, individuals higher in dissociation recalled fewer to-be-remembered trauma-related words but more to-be-remembered neutral words when asked to recall all presented words.
“under divided attention conditions, individuals higher in dissociation recalled fewer to-be-remembered trauma-related words but more to-be-remembered neutral words when asked to recall all presented words (DePrince and Freyd, 2004and Freyd, , 2001)).”
From A review of the relation between dissociation, memory, executive functioning and social cognition in military members and civilians with neuropsychiatric conditions (2016) · cites this paper as DePrince and Freyd, 2004
Cites
Development, reliability, and validity of a dissociation scale
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“Using the same methodology as in our previous studies (e.g., DePrince & Freyd, 1999, 2001), we recruited participants who scored above 20 and below 10 on the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES; Bernstein & Putnam, 1986 ) for the high- and low-dissociator groups, respectively.”
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Dissociative tendencies, attention, and memory
DePrince, A. P., & Freyd, J. J. (1999) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/1467-9280.00185 · Cited by 168 · see citing works
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Evaluation of the evidence for the trauma and fantasy models of dissociation.
Dalenberg, C. J., Brand, B. L., Gleaves, D. H., Dorahy, M. J., Loewenstein, R. J., Cardeña, E., Frewen, P. A., Carlson, E. B., & Spiegel, D. (2012) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0027447 · Cited by 667 · see citing works
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“Similarly, DePrince and Freyd (2004, 2001) described a directed forgetting task where participants were instructed to attend to some words and forget others; under divided attention conditions, individuals higher in dissociation recalled fewer to-be-remembered trauma-related words but more…”
van Dijke, A., Ford, J. D., Frank, L. E., & van der Hart, O. (2015) · Journal of Trauma & Dissociation · doi:10.1080/15299732.2015.1016253 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
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Matlow, R. B., & DePrince, A. P. (2013) · Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy · doi:10.1037/a0027655 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Self-citationBetrayal trauma theory of dissociative experiences: stroop and directed forgetting findings
GIESBRECHT, T., & MERCKELBACH, H. (2009) · The American Journal of Psychology · doi:10.2307/27784407 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Zoellner, L. A., Sheikh, I. S., Walker, R. W., Rosencrans, P., Garcia, N. M., Marks, E. H., Ojalehto, H. J., & Bedard-Gilligan, M. A. (2019) · Handbook of Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault Prevention · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-23645-8_20 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
- Authors
- DePrince, A. P., & Freyd, J. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Denver (US)
- University of Oregon (US)
- Corresponding author
- DePrince, Anne P.
- Venue
- Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2004-07
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 488-492
- ISSN
- 0956-7976 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9280
- OpenAlex
- W2041957417
- Cited by
- 159
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 6.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Keywords
- dissociation, traumatic memory, directed forgetting, divided attention, selective attention, betrayal trauma, incest, memory impairment, trauma history
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Cognition, Female, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Memory, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
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