Are the “Memory Wars” Over? A Scientist-Practitioner Gap in Beliefs About Repressed Memory

Abstract

The “memory wars” of the 1990s refers to the controversy between some clinicians and memory scientists about the reliability of repressed memories. To investigate whether such disagreement persists, we compared various groups’ beliefs about memory and compared their current beliefs with beliefs expressed in past studies. In Study 1, we found high rates of belief in repressed memory among undergraduates. We also found that greater critical-thinking ability was associated with more skepticism about repressed memories. In Study 2, we found less belief in repressed memory among mainstream clinicians today compared with the 1990s. Groups that contained research-oriented psychologists and memory experts expressed more skepticism about the validity of repressed memories relative to other groups. Thus, a substantial gap between the memory beliefs of clinical-psychology researchers and those of practitioners persists today. These results hold implications for the potential resolution of the science-practice gap and for the dissemination of memory research in the training of mental-health professionals.

What Do People Believe about Memory? Implications for the Science and Pseudoscience of Clinical Practice

“…Although undergraduates' opinions about the accuracy of repressed memories appear not to have changed much between 1995 42, p 432 (mean 5.57 on a scale, with 1 = never accurate, 10 = always accurate) and 2011 43, p 527 (mean 5.39), some changes in beliefs about recovered memory are evident among mainstream clinical psychology practitioners during this same period, based on responses to questions concerning a case vignette. This vignette described a woman in therapy who recovered vivid memories of sexual abuse at age 2 by her father.…”

“…This vignette described a woman in therapy who recovered vivid memories of sexual abuse at age 2 by her father. The therapists, who were sampled from the American Psychological Association, responded 6.45 (with 1 = not likely at all, 10 = extremely likely) regarding whether they believed the client was sexually abused, 57 compared with a more recent study of members of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology sampled in 2011-2012, 43, p 526 who rated the item 4.45, a significant decrease. Moreover, rated willingness to assist the client in retrieving memories of childhood sexual abuse decreased from 4.8 to 3.4, again a significant decrease.…”

What if you went to the police and accused your uncle of abuse? Misunderstandings concerning the benefits of memory distortion: A commentary on Fernández (2015)

“…Some clinicians still use certain therapies (e.g., memory recovery, hypnosis, dream interpretation) to help patients with their alleged trauma history. However, as noted, these techniques might actually fuel the formation of false, but not true memories (Howe, 2013;Patihis et al, 2013). Ideas put forward by Fernández might cause therapists to carry on with their questionable techniques despite the fact that these techniques could catalyze memory distortion.…”

“…Placing a confidence in these signals might lead therapists to falsely interpret certain "symptoms" as being the result of sexual abuse and they then might ask suggestive questions to "uncover" whether a patient has forgotten history of abuse. Unfortunately, this approach may give rise to false memories of childhood abuse (see Loftus, 1996;Howe, 2013;Patihis, Ho, Tingen, Lilienfeld, & Loftus, 2013).…”

Reshaping Memories Through Conversations: Considering the Influence of Others on Historical Memories of Abuse

“…As readers of Applied Cognitive Psychology, we are all familiar with the controversies of the 'memory wars' of the late 20 th century (see, e.g., Davies & Dalgleish, 2001;Ost, 2013;Patihis, Ho, Tingen, Lilienfeld & Loftus, 2014;Read & Lindsay, 1997, for reviews). While some of us believe firmly that this controversy was resolutely resolved others maintain that there remains many unanswered questions.…”