The primary author Dr. Elizabeth Loftus is an internationally known scientist published in professional journals and principal investigator of numerous highly acclaimed peer reviewed experiments on memory. Dr. Loftus is often called as the memory expert in high stakes court cases due to her experience and expertise. Katherine Ketcham has a degree in psychology and has both popular writing experience and clinical counseling experience. Legal (both criminal and civil cases) and personal attacks have not been successful against either author over the decades. Dr. Loftus has also endured protests, public attacks on her character and death threats by those who disagree with her evidence, analysis and conclusions. This book focuses on an emotionally riveting topic and these authors display a rare courage and integrity whether one agrees or does not agree with the thesis of the book. She addresses the harassment, threats and violence perpetrated by "believers" against "deniers" (and against other researchers like her) in Chapter 2 "A Strange Time" (pg 3-7)
This book is an amazing diverse collection of stories, personal experiences, research, interviews and facts all focused on carefully examining the assertion that "repressed memories" are historically accurate accounts of past experiences. In many accounts the "Repressed Memories" are used, as stand alone evidence to accuse, isolate, sue, prosecute, jail and imprison innocent people (some for more than a decade). This book carefully and gently leads the reader to the conclusion, based on the accounts and interviews, that "repressed memory" can not possibly provide anyone with reliable accounts of the highly emotional traumatic recollections years or decades later as claimed. In fact the events may never have taken place historically and may be the result of confabulations, distortions, assumptions, suggestive therapy, coercive questioning or source confusion among other factors (or any combinations of these possibilities).
She examines the historical roots of how Sigmund Freud initially viewed "repressed memories". Freud initially thought the memories were actual historical recollections but he quickly came to the conclusion that the stories were actually fantasies. Freud's initial errant insight that these fantasies were factual memories (pg 49-50) has been lifted for use by clinicians and writers who came to see "repressed memory" as the explanation for a wide variety of maladies. This notion has fueled book sales, personal therapies and group therapy sessions (pg 50-59).
The book carefully documents how suggestive and/or coercive comments, inquiries, influences and therapies through counselors, friends, relatives and interrogators can help create imagined events which are then labeled "repressed memories." Some of the stories are personal accounts. Dr. Loftus relates that she had a detailed memory develop when told that as a child. that she had found her mother drowned in a pool. In fact she had not (pg 39-40). Throughout the book story after story details how accusers in court cases influenced by friends, police and therapists find "repressed memories" that describe in amazing detail horrid behavior including incest, physical abuse, murder and satanic rituals. Even cursory investigation along with an obvious lack of physical evidence often causes very reasoned doubts that the memories are genuine historical events even if they appeal to our strong natural emotional urge to protect children.
I found the most interesting part of the book to be Chapter 11 "Sticks and Stones". In this chapter Dr. Loftus reveals personal meetings and exchanges she has had with famous proponents from the "recovered memory" movement. It is amazing how gracious and amiable she managed to be with those who have publicly disparaged her and her positions. Toward the end of the Chapter 11 Dr. Loftus shares with a recovered memory therapist (Barbara) how she was sexually abused when she was 6 years old by a 15 year old male babysitter (pg 225-226) named Howard. Dr. Loftus states "In his mind, I suspect, he (Howard) was taking a minor risk, experimenting with someone 'safe'. A little girl who wouldn't reject him or tattle on him....He wasn't cruel he just didn't think...But I never forgot this memory, nor did I repress it" (pg 226). Dr. Loftus shares that when she and the recovered therapist "parted later that night we hugged" (pg 226). A week later she received a paper with a drawing in the shape of a body labeled "HOWARD". It had pins in the chest and where sexual organs would be. The pins tips were colored bright red. Barbara had sent this to Dr. Loftus (pg 226). This is the point in the book that solidified (for me) how repressed memory zealots manage emotional issues (using symbols). Those like Dr. Loftus manage the emotional trauma differently. I will leave it at that.
I have read all the one star ratings of this book. None of them display the evidence of having read the book but here I address some of the errant assertions:
(1) The book is referenced with 15 pages of citations to a wide variety of literature both in scientific journals and popular reading materials. Most impressive is the careful reading of "recovered memory" books that she cites in her book (something the recovered memory books do not do of her writings!)
(2) She is an abuse victim herself and her book reflects great care for those who genuinely are victims (she is even gentle with those who sincerely think they are abused because of memories nurtured by poor therapy). I was genuinely touched.
(3) She clearly distinguishes between the DSM description on dissociate amnesia and "repressed memory" which is NOT in the DSM. In fact this book does the best job in contrasting these two very different concepts better than any other book I have read.
(4) She does not deny the Holocaust because none of the validated recollections of the Holocaust were ever claimed to have been "repressed." These memories were recorded and cataloged at the time and the victims have remembered all along what happened to them (this has been well documented in multiple studies).
(5) Dr. Loftus has never been found to have a secret pact or relationship with any known satanic or right wing conspiracy leaders since the writing of the book more than 20 years ago.
(6) She never lumps the incest survivor stories using "repressed memories" with repressed memories of space alien abductions or repressed memories of previous lives as roman soldiers or repressed memories of satanic rituals involving dark lit areas with large altars and screaming victims. She could have but she does not.
I think EVERY aspiring therapist should read this book. Every parent (or family member) who is being falsely accused should read this book. It will allow you to see more clearly how your accuser is truly a victim. Not because of you but because of a cultural myth called "repressed memory".
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![The Myth of Repressed Memory: False Memories and Allegations of Sexual Abuse by [Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, Katherine Ketcham]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51gnWbUhAOL._SY346_.jpg)
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Top reviews from other countries
Linda Campbell
Fascinating insights into how memory works.
Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on September 5, 2016
Mr. P. Holt
A must read for those asking people to remember the past
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Jack Kaktus
a balanced and objective summary about what memory is, a warning about psychodynamic quackery
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 2, 2022
