Cognitive Mechanisms Recovered Memories

Question: Discuss about the Cognitive Mechanisms Recovered Memories. Answer: Introduction: Memories which have been blocked unconsciously due to high level trauma and stress are known as repressed memories. The topic related to the existence of repressed memories is very controversial in psychology. There are a few studies which provide that a part of repressed memory may be recovered and a few totally eradicates the existence of such memories. A few studies provide that repressed memories can be recovered through the use of therapy whereas a few provide that rather than recovering memory therapies abet the creation of false memory through the combination of outside evidence and existing memories. It has been provided by the American Psychological Association that it is impossible to differentiate between false and true repressed memories without the corroboration of evidence. Physicians relate the existence of repressed memories and their recovery though the disease of amnesia and psychologist though the mental condition of DSM-V. According to Geraerts et al. (2007), the concept of repressed memory is undoubtedly subjected to debate and it is impossible to identify them without corroboration of evidence however the memories which are recollected during the normal course of living are true as compared to those memories which have been collected through the process of psychotherapy. In an observation it had been found that people who recollected a particular incident spontaneously had the tendency to forget thing on the other had people who recollected memories through psychotherapy had no evidence to forget things in the past. Thus it can be stated that memories which are recollected naturally are true (Geraerts et al., 2009). According to Loftus (1993) false childhood memories are mostly created through the combination of actual memories with that of suggestions provided by other. The false memory can be easily created if a person is made to imagine a specific situation without thinking about the fact that the event actually existed or not. In the case of Franklin v. Duncanthe court held that repressed memory cannot be accepted as evidence in court as it is not reliable, unscientific and inconsistent. The court ruled that false memories can be created as a result of the grudge of the plaintiff on the defendant. The court also provided that memories which have been recovered through the process of psychotherapy are most likely to be false and based on unreal circumstances (Loftus, 1997). The court on one hand has to ensure that the wrongdoer has to be punished and on the other hand it also has to ensure that an innocent person is not subjected to punishment. In this case the woman has gained memory in natural course without any additional therapy. The issue in relation to childhood abuse had been historically unacknowledged in America. US district courts have historically accepted repressed memory in form of evidence in certain cases. It has also been proved scientifically that most of the memories which have been recovered in the natural process without being subjected to therapy are true. Thus the court in this case must accept the testimony of the women against her father. References Loftus, E. "Creating False Memories." Scientific American 277, no. 3 (1997): 705. Loftus, E. "The Reality of Repressed Memories." American Psychologist 48 (1993): 51837. Geraerts, E., et al. "The Reality of Recovered Memories." Psychological Science 18, no. 7 (2007): 5648. Geraerts, E., et al. "Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying Recovered-Memory Experiences of Childhood Sexual Abuse." Psychological Science 20, (2009) noa