Date of Graduation
2014
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
Elisa Krackow
Committee Co-Chair
Steven Kinsey
Committee Member
Constance Toffle
Abstract
The current study examined mock jurors' perceptions of recovered memories of child sexual abuse. Participants were presented with one of four written vignettes of an adult female who recovers memories of child sexual abuse during therapy. Two variables in the vignettes were manipulated: the method of memory recovery (hypnosis informed vs. control uninformed) and presentation of psychological symptoms commonly related to history of sexual maltreatment (symptoms informed vs. symptoms uninformed). Participant mock jurors were asked to respond to questions regarding credibility, defendant guilt, and award of monetary damages. The continuous dependent variable analyses found significant results with regard to plaintiff credibility and defendant guilt with the hypnosis uninformed condition. Additionally, the hypnosis uninformed condition of the dichotomous dependent variable analyses significantly predicted the likelihood of participants deciding the defendant guilty, as well as the plaintiff as credible. Based on these findings, mock jurors' perceived hypnosis to be detrimental to memory recovery.
Recommended Citation
Nunley, Sarah, "The effects of hypnosis and symptom interpretation on jurors' perceptions of recovered memories of child sexual abuse" (2014). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 6333.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/6333