The effects of context and subjects' perceived control in breaching posthypnotic amnesia

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Abstract
Subjects [human] who were selected on the basis of being amnesic and who experienced their amnesia as voluntary or involuntary were subjected to 2 conditions designed to breach their amnesia: lie detector, and honesty instructions. A 3rd group receiving relaxation instructions served as a control. Posthypnotic amnesia was breached under lie detection and honesty conditions. There appeared to be an interaction between how subjects reported their experience of amnesia (voluntary and involuntary) and the degree to which amnesia was breached. Voluntary subjects accounted for the majority of breaching. Implications for studies on breaching, theories and processes of posthypnotic amnesia, and studies in post-hypnotic amnesia are discussed.