ABSTRACT
A special memory mechanism, qualitatively different from normal forgetting mechanisms, is thought to be responsible for this. The special memory mechanism is instantly able to encapsulate the entire record of the event and maintain it outside of conscious awareness, in a pristine and unmodifiable condition, until it is ready to be recovered in a safe psychological environment. A number of memory-recovery techniques such as hypnosis, survivor groups, guided imagery, dream interpretation, sodium amytal, and ideomotor questioning, as well as self-help books such as Courage to Heal, run the risk of creating false memories for events that never happened. Third-party false-memory legal cases are those in which a person who was not a patient sues the therapist of the person who makes the accusations. The questions typically asked in these court cases are about whether, given the potential damage a falsely accused individual may face, the therapist has a duty to that person.
