Dissociative tendencies and memory performance on directed-forgetting tasks

Psychol Sci. 2007 Mar;18(3):212-7; discussion 218-21. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01875.x.

Abstract

The current article presents two studies that aimed to replicate DePrince and Freyd's (2001, 2004) studies demonstrating that high and low dissociators differentially recall neutral and trauma words under conditions of varying cognitive load. We did not find this effect. This lack of replication was apparent for both free recall and word recognition memory and in both studies. In effect, we found little evidence to support betrayal trauma theory, yet observed increased memory fallibility, as demonstrated by lower general recall and (in one study) commission errors, in high dissociators.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Attention
  • Australia
  • Cognition
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Dissociative Disorders / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Memory*
  • Mental Recall
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Recognition, Psychology
  • Sample Size
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology
  • Students / psychology
  • Task Performance and Analysis*