The Theory Dormant Memories
What is the theory behind dormant memories?
The theory behind dormant memories is that recalling memories of sexual abuse is the same as forgetting and remembering non traumatic childhood incidents. In an article by the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance they distingish between dormant memories, which they see as almost always true, and recovered memories which they see as almost always false.
For the purpose of this website we only use the term recovered memories as an all encompassing term for forgetting and later recalling traumatic events. People who believe in dormant memories define recovered memories as memories recovered during recovered memory therapy. They believe most recovered memories are induced through suggestion, hypnosis, and other dangerous therapies.
How are dormant memories recalled?
Dormant memories are believed to be recalled in a "flood" all at once, often like a flashback. These memories are very clear and the survivor usually cannot induce recall of these memories. Rarely are these memories recalled in therapy sessions, although it is possible, and they are usually triggered by an object, place, or person associated with the event. The survivor is usually devastated and troubled by the memory.
What research has been done on dormant memories?
Little research has been done on dormant memories specifically. Most research does not differentiate between people who remembered "all at once" and people who remembered through recovered memory therapy or other suggestive techniques. There are not even clear numbers on how many people remember all at once compared to people who remember piece by piece over the course of many months or years under hypnosis. Until data is collected regarding how these memories are recalled we will not understand the validity of the various experiences.
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