Retractor (psychology)

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Retractor (from Latin retrahere withdraw ' ) is one of Joseph de Rivera coined term from psychology . Retractors are people who falsely remembered having been raped as a child, but who subsequently recognize these memories as false memories and withdraw their information. These false memories are unintentionally evoked in psychotherapy . According to de Rivera, between 1992 and 1997 there were more than 300 women who believed they had given false information because of this phenomenon.

trigger

De Rivera conducted interviews with four “retractors” and came to the conclusion that the wrong memories were always based on one of two triggers:

Mind-Control Model (Hassan, 1990)

The most important cornerstone of mind control is the weakening of an individual's ability to make his / her own decisions. A distinction is made between information control, behavior control, mind control and emotion control. The mind control model implies that people are not fully responsible for their behavior when they are psychologically influenced. According to Hassan, everyone is potentially susceptible to mind control. In the case of retractors , those affected trusted an authority (the therapist) who made use of this trust and methods that influenced the thinking and thus also the memory of those affected. De Rivera compares this effect to behavioral changes through hypnosis.

Narrative Model (Sarbin, 1995)

People tend to construct narratives about their lives. If an individual is not satisfied with phases / sections or their own behavioral patterns, it often happens that the individual looks for explanations in their own childhood in order to be able to justify their own behavior. This behavior, combined with suggestions from a therapist, can lead to one beginning to rewrite one's “story” to include sexual abuse in childhood. If the therapist believes this story, they may inadvertently assume the role of co-author.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ De Rivera, J .: The Construction of False Memory Syndrome: The Experience of Retractors . In: Psychological Inquiry . tape 8 , no. 4 , 1997, p. 271-292 , doi : 10.1207 / s15327965pli0804_1 .
  2. ^ De Rivera, J .: The Construction of False Memory Syndrome: The Experience of Retractors . In: Psychological Inquiry . tape 8 , no. 4 , 1997, p. 271-292 , doi : 10.1207 / s15327965pli0804_1 .
  3. ↑ Hassan, S .: Combatting cult mind control . Park Street Press, Rochester, VT 1990, ISBN 0-89281-311-3 .
  4. ↑ Sarbin, TR: A narrative approach to "repressed memories." In: Journal of Narrative and Life history . tape 5 , 1995, p. 51-66 .