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A comparison of memory for homicide, non-homicidal violence, and positive life experiences

dc.contributor.authorWoodworth, Michael
dc.contributor.authorPorter, Stephen
dc.contributor.authorBrinke, Leanne ten
dc.contributor.authorDoucette, Naomi
dc.contributor.authorPeace, Kristine
dc.contributor.authorCampbell, Mary Ann
dc.date.accessioned2017-03-29
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-28T00:36:47Z
dc.date.available2022-05-28T00:36:47Z
dc.date.issued2009
dc.description.abstractDefendants commonly claim amnesia for their criminal actions especially in cases involving extreme violence. While some claims are malingered or result from physiological factors, other cases may represent genuine partial or complete amnesia resulting from the psychological distress and/or extreme emotion associated with the perpetration of the crime. Fifty Canadian homicide offenders described their memories of their homicide, a non-homicide violent offense, and their most positive adulthood life experience. Self-reported and objective measures of memories for these events revealed that homicides were recalled with the greatest level of detail and sensory information. Although dissociative tendencies were associated with a self-reported memory loss, objective measures of memory quality did not reflect this perceived impairment, suggesting a failure of meta-memory. Recollections of positive life events were superior to those of non-homicidal violence, possibly due to greater impact and meaning attached to such experiences. Findings suggest that memory for homicide typically is enhanced by the powerful emotion associated with its perpetration.
dc.description.urihttps://library.macewan.ca/cgi-bin/SFX/url.pl/92N
dc.identifier.citationWoodworth, M., Porter, S., ten Brinke, L., Doucette, N. L., Peace, K., & Campbell, M. A. (2009). A comparison of memory for homicide, non-homicidal violence, and positive life experiences. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 32, 329-334. doi: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2009.06.008
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2009.06.008
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14078/773
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAll Rights Reserved
dc.subjectmemory
dc.subjecttrauma
dc.subjecthomicide
dc.subjectviolence
dc.subjectemotion
dc.subjectmeta-memory
dc.titleA comparison of memory for homicide, non-homicidal violence, and positive life experiencesen
dc.typeArticle

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