Repressed Memories Case Study

There have been many cases that were held based on repressed memories and most cases are of child abuse. Researchers say that children have repressed memories of traumatizing events is due to that so they can continue having a normal life. (Psychology, n.d., pg.274, para.1)

One of the most high-profiled legal case regarding repressed memories is the one against Paul R. Shanley, a Roman Catholic priest, that was convicted of child abuse after over a decade of the incident. The accuser recollected his memories at the age of 25, when his girlfriend gave him a phone call and told him about a newspaper article about clergy sexual abuse and Mr. Shanley. (Zezima and Carey, 2009) He then remembered all the horrible incidents he had with the priest

(Psychology, n.d., pg.274 para.1) When repressed memories surfaces, I think that a surge of emotion from the memories that suddenly remembered may over power the person. These repressed memories must be so terrifying those people that have them must have an emotional breakdown. I can only imagine how it would affect them. However, I’m still a bit skeptical about any truth to it. With the story of the case of Mr. Paul Shanley, the accuser did not receive any hypnosis therapy or did he get any guided imagery techniques. He merely got a phone call and heard about the sexual abuse case against the priest. The money that could be won from the high-profile lawsuit such as Mr Shanley’s could be a major motivation to confessing false memories. According to Curtin, E, 30% of research psychologists believe in the validity of repressed memories, however, in court, most of repressed memory cases almost always win. Personally, I had any memories that may be too painful, I would most likely cope with it by making a lot of good memories so that I don’t think about those painful times of my life or I may just have to deal with it by coming into peace with it and realize that I am in a better place now compared to those painful memories. Though if it were true that repressed memories occur, it must be very difficult for the victims that have repressed memories to cope with sudden

Retrieved December 7, 2016 in (Zezima and Carey, 2009) http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/us/11priest.html Belluck, P (2005, January 27) In The New York Times website. Retrieved December 7, 2016 in http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/27/us/accuser-testifies-at-trial-of-expriest-in-abuse-case.html?_r=0

Psychology (n.d.) Retrieved December 7, 2016 in https://my.uopeople.edu/pluginfile.php/133459/mod_page/content/18/PSYCTextCh5-8.pdf

Curtin, E. (2013, December 17) Retrieved December 7, 2016 in