Debunking Myths about Trauma and Memory

McNally, Richard J

doi:10.1177/070674370505001302

Cited by 195Memory Processes and InfluencesPosttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchMemory, History, Trauma, Identity

Debunking Myths about Trauma and Memory

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McNally, Richard J·2005·The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

DOI 10.1177/070674370505001302

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Abstract

How trauma victims remember—or forget—their most horrific experiences lies at the heart of the most bitter controversy in psychiatry and psychology in recent times. Whereas experts maintain that traumatic events—those experienced as overwhelmingly terrifying at the time of their occurrence—are remembered all too well, traumatic amnesia theorists disagree. Although these theorists acknowledge that trauma is often seemingly engraved on memory, they nevertheless maintain that a significant minority of survivors are incapable of remembering their trauma, thanks to mechanisms of either dissociation or repression. Unfortunately, the evidence they adduce in support of the concept of traumatic dissociative amnesia fails to support their claims. The purpose of this review is to dispel confusions and debunk myths regarding trauma and memory.

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The reconstructive and changing nature of memory challenges the idea that fragmentation is unique to trauma, because all memories are expected to be recounted with varying detail and coherence over time.
“Furthermore, the reconstructive, changing nature of memory (e.g., Schacter, 1996) challenges the notion that fragmentation is unique to trauma, as it is expected that all memories will be recounted with varying detail and coherence over time (McNally, 2005).”
From Dissociation and memory fragmentation in post-traumatic stress disorder: An evaluation of the dissociative encoding hypothesis (2012) · cites this paper as McNally, 2005
In “Memory Does Not Operate Like a Videotape Recorder” (page unavailable), McNally says all recollection is reconstructive and no memory is immune to change over time. “Confusion About Repetition, Emotional Arousal, and Memory” adds that details of similar events may blur. The paper does not establish that all memories will be recounted with varying coherence over time. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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Authors: McNally, R. J.
Affiliations: Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author: McNally, Richard J
ORCID: McNally, Richard J
Venue: The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2005-11
Volume: 50
Issue: 13
Pages: 817-822
ISSN: 0706-7437 (ISSN-L)
1497-0015
DOI: 10.1177/070674370505001302
OpenAlex: W2121060610
Cited by: 195
References: 41
Citations by year: 2026: 16 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 2
FWCI: 0.73
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: bronze
doi.org
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Institutes of Health (5r01mh061268-04)
National Institute of Mental Health (MH 61268)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Memory, History, Trauma, Identity
Keywords: traumatic amnesia, dissociative amnesia, repression, dissociation, traumatic memory, trauma survivors, memory and forgetting
MeSH terms: Amnesia, Child, Child Abuse, Sexual, Dissociative Disorders, Humans, Repression, Psychology, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

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