Several psychologists (L. Armstrong, 1994; Enns, McNeilly…
““Several psychologists (L. Armstrong, 1994; Enns, McNeilly, Corkery, & Gilbert, 1995; Herman, 1992; McFarlane & van der Kolk, 1996; Pope & Brown, 1996) contend that the controversy of delayed recall for traumatic events is likely to be influenced by sexism. Kristiansen, Gareau, Mittleholt, DeCourville, and Hovdestad (1995) found that people who were more authoritarian and who had less favorable attitudes toward women were less likely to believe in the veracity of women’s recovered memories for sexual abuse. Those who challenged the truthfulness of recovered memories were more likely to endorse negative statements about women, including the idea that battered women enjoy being abused. McFarlane and van der Kolk (1996) have noted that delayed recall in male combat veterans reported by Myers (1940) and Kardiner (1941) did not generate controversy, whereas delayed recall in female survivors of intrafamilial child sexual abuse has provoked considerable debate.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Research suggests sexism may bias delayed recall of traumatic memories, influencing credibility judgments, especially concerning female abuse survivors.
In simple terms: Sexism can skew memory credibility.
Key Takeaway
Beware bias in trauma assessments.
Themes
psychology
gender
memory
trauma
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
Abuse:1
Abuse-survivors:1
Authoritarian:1
Bias:1
Child-sexual-abuse:1
Controversy:1
Credibility:1
Denial:0
Doubting-mind:0
Incest:0
Memory:1
Psychological trauma:1
Recovered-memories:1
Recovered-memory:0
Sexism:1
Sexual abuse:1
Society-denial:0
Survivors:1
Trauma:1
Trauma-memory:0
Traumatic experiences:1
Influenced Sexism:0
Recall Female:0
Recall Traumatic:0
Female Survivors:0
When to use this quote
- clinical interviews
- legal testimony
- research reviews
Key Concepts
bias
credibility
recovered memories
sexism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does gender bias affect evidence evaluation?
- What safeguards reduce bias in trauma cases?
A Different Perspective
Findings are correlational, not causal.