Boundary restriction for negative emotional images is an example of memory amplification
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Date
2015-04-02
Authors
Takarangi, Melanie K T
Oulton, Jacinta M
Green, Deanne M
Strange, Deryn
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sage Publications
Rights
http://www.uk.sagepub.com/journalgateway/pubPolicies.htm#7
Rights Holder
Copyright © 2015 by Association for Psychological Science
Abstract
We investigated whether boundary restriction—misremembering proximity to traumatic stimuli—is a form of memory amplification and whether re-experiencing trauma plays a role in boundary restriction errors. In four experiments, subjects viewed a series of traumatic photographs. Later, subjects identified the photographs they originally saw among distracters that could be identical, close-up, or wide-angled versions of the same photographs. Subjects also completed measures of mood, analogue PTSD symptoms, phenomenological experience of intrusions, and processing style. Across experiments, subjects were more likely to incorrectly remember the photographs as having extended boundaries: boundary extension. Despite this tendency, the extent to which subjects re-experienced traumatic aspects of the photographs predicted how often they incorrectly remembered the photographs as having narrower boundaries: boundary restriction. Our data suggest that although boundary extension is more common, boundary restriction is related to individual differences in coping mechanisms post-trauma. These results have theoretical implications for understanding how people remember trauma.
Description
Keywords
Psychology, Memory, Trauma, Cognition and emotion
Citation
Takarangi, M., Oulton, J., Green, D. and Strange, D., 2015. Boundary restriction for negative emotional images is an example of memory amplification. Clinical Psychological Science, April 2, 2015 2167702615569912.