The role of expectation and memory-retrieval techniques in the construction of beliefs about past events

This study assessed social Factors affecting the elicitation of false repor ts for events occurring the day after birth. High, medium and low hypnotiza ble participants (N = 170) were randomly assigned to hypnotic, guided image ry (non-hypnotic), expectancy or control conditions. Participants were led to believe that they had experienced a specific event on the day after birt h. Hypnotic and guided imagery participants were age regressed, while parti cipants in the expectancy condition were provided with cues suggesting acce ss to this memory was feasible. Relative to controls, these participants re called higher levels of day-after-birth reports, although age-regressed par ticipants reported significantly more event specific details than expectanc y participants. Furthermore, high and medium hypnotizables were more likely than low hypnotizables to recall events occurring the day after birth. Imp lications of this study within the therapeutic setting are discussed. Copyr ight (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.