Elicitation of "childhood memories" in hypnosis-like settings is associated with complex partial epileptic-like signs for women but not for men: implications for the false memory syndrome

What's in a Name for Memory Errors? Implications and Ethical Issues Arising From the Use of the Term "False Memory" for Errors in Memory for Details

The term "false memories" has been used to refer to suggestibility experiments in which whole events are apparently confabulated and in media accounts of contested memories of childhood abuse. Since 1992 psychologists have increasingly used the term "false memory" when discussing memory errors for details, such as specific words within lists. Use of the term to refer to errors in details is a shift in language away from other terms used historically (e.g., "memory intrusions"). We empirically examine this shift in language and discuss implications of the new use of the term "false memories." Use of the term presents serious ethical challenges to the data-interpretation process by encouraging over-generalization and misapplication of research findings on word memory to social issues.

Spirituality and complex partial epileptic-like signs

Using a sample of 262 undergraduate volunteers, correlational and regressional analyses were completed to examine the relation of self-reported complex partial epileptic-like signs to a five-dimensional model of spirituality assessed by the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory. Analyses show that spirituality is significantly predictive of Complex Partial Epileptic-like Signs. Scores from subscales Paranormal Beliefs, Experiential/Phenomenological Dimension, and Existential Well-being uniquely accounted for significant portions of Complex Partial Epileptic-like Signs variance. ESI Cognitive Orientation Toward Spirituality significantly correlated with Complex Partial Epileptic-like Signs but it was not a significant predictor in regression analyses. ESI Religiousness was unrelated to Complex Partial Epileptic-like Signs in all analyses. This pattern of relations remained largely the same when participants' age, sex, and reported religious involvement were controlled. The paper includes a discussion of the meaning of the findings and suggestions for research.

Control of "choice" by application of the electromagnetic field equivalents of spoken words: mediation by emotional meaning rather than linguistic dimensions?

Electromagnetic equivalents (about 1 microT) of the acoustic signature of spoken words were applied across the temporoparietal lobes by an array of external solenoids. Participants were asked to select the target word within a group of words. The experimental group of 7 chose the target word or words that shared its emotional dimensions (activation, evaluation) more frequently than did the reference group of 6 who received no electromagnetic equivalents. Implications for the neurocognitive detection of the emotional (connotative) components of word stimuli when transformed to electromagnetic equivalents rather than direct images or "word sounds" are discussed.

Reports of satanic ritual abuse: further implications about pseudomemories

This preliminary clinical study of patients who reporr memories of childhood satanic ritual abuse provides further data to support experimental studies by Persinger and others that pseudomemories may be created by therapists in highly suggestible patients.