Posthypnotic amnesia for autobiographical episodes: a laboratory model of functional amnesia?
Extreme variation in the accessibility of autobiographical memory is a major characteristic of functional amnesia. On the basis of its ability to temporarily disrupt the retrieval of memory material, posthypnotic amnesia (PHA) has been proposed as a laboratory analogue of such amnesia. However, most PHA research has focused on relatively simple, nonpersonal information learned during hypnosis. This experiment extended PHA to autobiographical memory by examining high- and low-hypnotizable subjects' explicit and implicit memory of two autobiographical episodes, one of which was targeted by a PHA suggestion. The effects of PHA were consistent with the major features of functional amnesia: PHA disrupted retrieval of autobiographical information, produced a dissociation between implicit and explicit memory, and was reversible. The nature of PHA's effect on autobiographical memory and the potential utility of a PHA paradigm for investigating functional amnesia are discussed.
Barnier
Amanda J
AJ
School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
D000328:Adult; D000647:Amnesia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D008960:Models, Psychological; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology