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The Repression of Memories - Online Term Paper

The Repression of Memories

The human mind is capable of a great deal. It can reason and perceive at seemingly impossible speeds. It can regulate a complex series of bodily functions and structures to maintain homeostasis and health. The mind is also capable of protecting itself from painful and traumatic memories. The process of repression isn't accepted by all psychologists, but it is an integral part of understanding the way we store and retrieve memories.
Most of what we do everyday occurs outside our realm of consciousness. We can't constantly be conscious of our breathing, our morning routine, or the route from school to home. It is plausible then, to assume that because our subconscious plays such a large ...

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positive events. From a psychological standpoint, repression is not only possible, but often voluntary. Recent studies at Stanford University have also shown that there is a biological basis for repressed memories. FMRI results showed that controlling unwanted memories is associated with increased activity in the left and right frontal cortex. This lead to reduced activity in the hippocampus, just one part of the brain involved with memory. The more subjects in the study activated their frontal cortex during the experiment, the better they were at suppressing unwanted memories (Trei 1).
Psychologists and jurors alike run into a problem with repression when it is used as evidence of abuse, or other traumatic events, in court. Opponents of the use of repressed memories point to the malleability of the mind, and the ease with which false memories can be planted. People can often be coaxed by therapists to “remember” events from their pasts which never actually happened. False memories ...

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The Repression of Memories. (2011, April 25). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Repression-of-Memories/98400

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 4/25/2011 07:12:32 AM
Submitted By: fobulous1229
Category: Psychology
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 511
Pages: 2

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