ABSTRACT
The role of memory is critical in one’s ability to function in everyday life. It is through memory that we develop an appreciation for our surroundings, plan for the future, and are able to protect ourselves from potentially harmful elements in our environment. Memory is also fundamental in our ability to integrate past experience into present behavior (Hartmann, 1951). Hartmann (1939) described memory as an autonomous ego function and stated that it developed independent of intrapsychic conflicts. Thus, memory is critical to understanding personality and yet is often not included in the psychodiagnostician’s assessment, that is, until it fails. Memory failure can consist of momentary lapses or distinct types of permanent disturbances due to cerebral impairment. Neuropsychologists have been very successful in gaining an understanding of memory (Squire, 1987) and the primary memory disorders, referred to as amnestic disorders, that result from brain disease. In contrast, research in the area of memory has lagged in the field of psychodiagnostics and personality assessment. One reason for this apparent lack of interest on the part of psychodiagnosticians is that memory is considered a brain function and under the purview of neuropsychologists. In turn, the personality or emotional changes that usually occur following brain damage have only recently been explored by neuropsychologists, except in cases where the change is directly attributable to damage to a specific anatomical site. Consequently, two independent traditions have developed using an independent set of assessment instruments. A renewed interest in integrating the traditions of psychodiagnostic and neuropsychological assessment has emerged (Zillmer & Perry, 1996), and has provided the opportunity to reexamine the role of traditional personality tests with neurologically impaired individuals.
