PSYC FPX 3500 Assessment 1 Popular Versus Scholarly Sources
Student Name
Capella University
PSYC FPX 3500 Learning and Cognition
Prof. Name
Date
PSYC FPX 3500 Assessment 1 Popular Versus Scholarly Sources
Trauma can affect episodic memory by changing how traumatic experiences are encoded, stored, and later recalled. Research suggests that some traumatic experiences may lead to unusually persistent memories, while emotional distress can also interfere with the ability to recall certain details clearly. Comparing popular media with peer-reviewed research helps clarify what is known about the relationship between trauma and episodic memory and where additional questions remain.
Selected Topic: The Relationship Between Trauma and Episodic Memory
Episodic memory refers to the ability to remember specific personal experiences, including details about events, places, people, and the circumstances surrounding an experience. Trauma can influence this type of memory in complex ways. Some individuals may experience vivid and recurring recollections of traumatic events, while others may have fragmented or incomplete memories.
The relationship between trauma and memory is particularly important when considering posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emotional memory, and the ways the brain processes threatening experiences.
Popular Media Source
The selected popular source is a video from the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM) featuring Peter Levine. In the video, Levine discusses how traumatic experiences can influence memory and how trauma may affect a person’s ability to process and recall experiences.
According to the source, trauma can contribute to persistent recollections of distressing experiences. At the same time, memory may become less accessible or fragmented as a protective response. These changes may contribute to confusion, difficulties recalling particular details, or experiences of dissociation.
Full reference:
NICABM. (2019, May 19). How trauma hijacks a client’s memory, with Peter Levine [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/3woCwkBcKwk
Peer-Reviewed Research on Trauma and Memory
Brewin (2014): Episodic and Perceptual Memory
Brewin (2014) examines the relationship between episodic memory and perceptual memory in the context of PTSD. The article provides a theoretical framework for understanding why traumatic experiences can sometimes produce particularly strong memories of certain sensory or perceptual features.
This research is directly relevant to the selected topic because it considers how different memory systems may contribute to the development and persistence of trauma-related symptoms. It provides scholarly context for the popular source’s discussion of the effects of trauma on memory.
Dolcos et al. (2013): Emotional Distraction and Memory
Dolcos et al. (2013) investigated the neural mechanisms associated with emotional distraction and its effects on working memory and episodic memory. Their findings demonstrate that emotional information can influence memory processes in different ways.
This study adds an important perspective to the discussion because emotional experiences do not necessarily affect every aspect of memory in the same manner. Emotional information can capture attention and alter cognitive processing, which may influence the ability to encode or retrieve other information.
Forest and Blanchette (2018): Trauma-Related Information
Forest and Blanchette (2018) examined memory for neutral, emotional, and trauma-related information among sexual abuse survivors. Their research provides evidence relevant to understanding how traumatic experiences can influence memory for different types of information.
The study is particularly useful because it examines trauma and memory in a population with lived experiences of sexual abuse. It therefore provides empirical evidence that complements broader theoretical discussions about the relationship between trauma and episodic memory.
How the Popular and Scholarly Sources Compare
The popular video and the peer-reviewed literature share the general view that trauma can significantly influence memory. However, the scholarly research provides a more detailed explanation of the cognitive and neurological processes involved.
Brewin (2014) is consistent with the idea that traumatic experiences may produce particularly strong memories for certain aspects of an event. This supports the popular source’s discussion of persistent trauma-related recollections.
At the same time, Dolcos et al. (2013) demonstrate that emotional information can interfere with some memory processes. This provides a more nuanced perspective because the effects of emotional experiences on memory may vary depending on the type of memory and the circumstances in which information is processed.
Forest and Blanchette (2018) further contribute to the discussion by examining trauma-related memory among sexual abuse survivors. Their findings provide additional evidence for the complex relationship between traumatic experiences and memory.
Overall, the scholarly sources indicate that trauma does not simply make memory either stronger or weaker. Instead, its effects can differ depending on the type of information, memory system, emotional intensity, and circumstances surrounding encoding and retrieval.
Important Question About Trauma and Memory
An important question raised by this comparison is whether specific event memories can ever be fully reconstructed when trauma has resulted in gaps, fragmentation, or difficulties with recall.
Memory is a reconstructive process rather than a perfect recording of past events. Consequently, understanding how trauma affects memory is important when interpreting recollections, particularly when those memories are used in clinical, legal, or interpersonal settings.
Real-World Application of Trauma and Episodic Memory
Understanding the relationship between trauma and episodic memory has practical implications in mental health care, education, and legal settings. Individuals who have experienced trauma may recall some aspects of an event vividly while having difficulty describing other details.
Professionals working with trauma survivors can benefit from recognizing that variations in recall do not necessarily mean that an individual is intentionally withholding information or that every memory will have the same level of detail.
The topic is especially relevant in legal contexts because testimony and personal recollections can influence investigations and judgments. A better understanding of trauma-related memory can encourage careful consideration of how emotional experiences may affect recall without automatically assuming that memory is either completely accurate or completely unreliable.
Self-Evaluation
The assignment meets the major requirements for evaluating popular and scholarly sources. The popular media source is summarized in relation to trauma and episodic memory, while three peer-reviewed journal articles provide scholarly perspectives on the topic.
The sources are also compared and contrasted to identify areas of agreement and differences. Brewin (2014) provides a theoretical perspective on PTSD and memory, Dolcos et al. (2013) examine the effects of emotional distraction on memory processes, and Forest and Blanchette (2018) investigate trauma-related memory in sexual abuse survivors.
The discussion also demonstrates a real-world application by explaining why knowledge about trauma and memory is relevant to mental health professionals and situations in which memory reliability is important.
References
Brewin, C. R. (2014). Episodic memory, perceptual memory, and their interaction: Foundations for a theory of posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychological Bulletin, 140(1), 69–97. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0033722
Dolcos, F., Iordan, A. D., Kragel, J., Stokes, J., Campbell, R., McCarthy, G., & Cabeza, R. (2013). Neural correlates of opposing effects of emotional distraction on working memory and episodic memory: An event-related fMRI investigation. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 293. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00293
PSYC FPX 3500 Assessment 1 Popular Versus Scholarly Sources
Forest, M., & Blanchette, I. (2018). Memory for neutral, emotional and trauma-related information in sexual abuse survivors. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 9(1), 1476439. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2018.1476439
National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. (2019, May 19). How trauma hijacks a client’s memory, with Peter Levine [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/3woCwkBcKwk