ASSUMPTIONS OF STUDENTS AND PSYCHOTHERAPISTS ABOUT MEMORY

The present study explored assumptions about memory in a Dutch sample consisting of 27 psychotherapists and 50 undergraduate students. Parti cipants completed a questionnaire about memory and repression. Analysi s indicated that a substantial proportion of the participants held ass umptions about memory that are unrealistic in the sense that they do n ot meet a generally accepted standard among memory scientists. Althoug h most respondents said that memory is not an accurate reflection of r eality, metaphors provided by students and psychotherapists suggest th at the reconstructive nature of memory was less well acknowledged.