Recovered Memories
Abstract
The issues surrounding repressed, recovered, or false memories have sparked one of the greatest controversies in the mental health profession in the twentieth century. We review evidence concerning the existence of the repression and recovery of autobiographical memories of traumatic events and research on the development of false autobiographical memories, how specific therapeutic procedures can lead to false memories, and individual vulnerability to resisting false memories. These findings have implications for therapeutic practice, for forensic practice, for research and training in psychology, and for public policy.
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Historically, many individuals have recalled memories of childhood abuse in psychotherapy.
“First, historically, many individuals have recalled memories of childhood abuse in psychotherapy (Loftus & Davis, 2006).”
From People who expect to enter psychotherapy are prone to believing that they have forgotten memories of childhood trauma and abuse (2010) · cites this paper as Loftus & Davis, 2006
Cites
Dissociation and the fragmentary nature of traumatic memories: Overview and exploratory study
van Der Kolk, B. A., & Fisler, R. (1995) · Journal of Traumatic Stress · doi:10.1002/jts.2490080402 · Cited by 1,262 · see citing works
Imagination inflation: Imagining a childhood event inflates confidence that it occurred
Garry, M., Manning, C. G., Loftus, E. F., & Sherman, S. J. (1996) · Psychonomic Bulletin & Review · doi:10.3758/bf03212420 · Cited by 648 · see citing works
Self-citationHow expectancies shape experience.
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Loftus, E. F. (2003) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.58.11.867 · Cited by 350 · see citing works
Self-citationGuided imagery and memory: implications for psychotherapists
Arbuthnott, K. D., Arbuthnott, D. W., & Rossiter, L. (2001) · Journal of Counseling Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0167.48.2.123 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
The American Association for Research into Nervous and Mental Diseases, & Kihlstrom, J. F. (1997) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.1997.0155 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
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Developmental Reversals in False Memory: A New Look at the Reliability of Children’s Evidence
Brainerd, C. J. (2013) · Current Directions in Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0963721413484468 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
A Theoretical Framework for Understanding Recovered Memory Experiences
Brewin, C. R. (2012) · Nebraska Symposium on Motivation · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-1195-6_5 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Radulovic, J., Lee, R., & Ortony, A. (2018) · Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00259 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Rubin, D. C., & Boals, A. (2010) · Memory · doi:10.1080/09658211.2010.490787 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
- Authors
- Loftus, E. F., & Davis, D.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Irvine (US)
- University of Nevada, Reno (US)
- Venue
- Annual Review of Clinical Psychology
- Publisher
- Annual Reviews
- Published
- 2006-04-01
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 469-498
- ISSN
- 1548-5943 (ISSN-L)
- 1548-5951
- OpenAlex
- W4242715685
- Cited by
- 158
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 0.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annual Review of Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Keywords
- repressed memories, recovered memory, false memory, autobiographical memory, traumatic events, memory reconsolidation, therapeutic procedures, memory distortion, forensic practice, psychotherapy
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Mental Disorders, Child, Child Abuse, Dreams, Humans, Hypnosis, Life Change Events, Male, Photography, Prospective Studies, Psychotherapy, Mental Recall, Repression, Psychology, Retrospective Studies, Imagery, Psychotherapy
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