Answer to Question #300099 in Psychology for Jayloaf

Question

Written Assignment Unit 4

During the 1990s there were a lot of cases of reported child abuse based on repressed memory. Many individuals were arrested and jailed, many of which were innocent. Sigmund Freud believed that individuals repress their memories (not consciously) so that their painful effects would not have to be experienced. There is a lot of controversy as to whether repressed memories can be trusted.

In this assignment, look for a news article (old or new) describing the resurface of repressed memory or studies on it. Then write a paper summarizing the article, what was the conclusion of the story/study?

Based on your readings and assignments, under what circumstances are repressed memories more likely to surface? In your opinion, what are the possible effects of having these memories resurface? What are your personal beliefs about your mind repressing memories that may be too painful? Do you find some truth to it?

Answer 1

The goal of the research I read was to determine whether trauma victims genuinely repress memories and whether therapy can create false memories. According to the paper's findings, abuse and trauma during critical developmental periods are linked to both biological and psychological sensitivity. Early trauma can also induce physical changes in the brain, making it easier for people to acquire mental diseases later in life. According to the paper, it also causes self-esteem issues and makes it harder to form trustworthy relationships.

In a nutshell, everyone concerned about the long-term effects of abuse and trauma on a person's development agrees that the consequences can be severe. With this in mind, the paper proposes that the first priority should be to recognize the problem of child abuse, followed by a focus on developing treatment solutions. The research I read didn't go into great detail on when suppressed memories are more likely to resurface. It does, however, go over some of the flaws in trying to recall these memories. It shows that Sigmund Freud considered that repressed memories could be distorted, imprecise, and even false. Repressed memories are more likely to surface when a person is confronted with a scenario that is comparable to the stored painful experience, in my opinion. A similar unpleasant event could trigger a memory, prompting people to repeat the experience.

In my perspective, the implications of having a suppressed memory resurface differ from person to person. Each individual deals with and processes emotions in their own way. Someone may feel embarrassed, someone else may feel worthless, someone else may feel guilty and blame themselves, while someone else may be unaffected. The repercussions, according to Freud's research, may be so far-reaching that one loses physical function.

Before reading any materials on psychology or how we deal with bad memories, I had the impression that people who repress bad memories or go through traumatic experiences and have no recollection of them have a safety mechanism activated in their brains to prevent them from having a complete mental breakdown. According to Freud's research, people suppress memories of traumatic childhood events in order to avoid them interfering with daily life. "It is a basic defensive mechanism in which the mind forgets or relocates experiences, thoughts, and memories that it cannot accept or tolerate," according to Sigmund Freud.

Do I trust that all of this data is correct? Yes, I believe there is some truth to all of it. I have friends who have confided in me about horrific abuse they have endured. They're all struggling to form meaningful connections, as well as dealing with low self-esteem and despair. I'm keeping track of these (friends') happenings in my life. I can't help but concur with these investigations' findings. In my personal life, I've seen them in action.