Retrieval-induced forgetting after trauma: A study with victims of sexual assault |
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| Authors: | Ines Blix Tim Brennen |
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| Institution: | 1. Center for the Study of Human Cognition, Department of Psychology , University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway ines.blix@psykologi.uio.no;3. Center for the Study of Human Cognition, Department of Psychology , University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway |
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| Abstract: | The Retrieval-Induced Forgetting (RIF) paradigm is used to study how the repeated retrieval practice of particular memories impairs the retrieval of related memory traces. A study is reported where this automatic form of forgetting was investigated in a group of sexual-assault victims and a control group. Using a recognition-cued RIF task, the present study examined RIF with neutral, positive, negative and trauma-specific stimuli. Response time data showed that irrespective of previous trauma exposure, a RIF effect was observed for neutral material, but not for emotional material. No differences in RIF between the trauma group and the control group were found. Inconsistencies with previous literature and the implications for emotional memory are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | Retrieval-induced forgetting Retrieval Forgetting Sexual assault Trauma Memory |
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