Applied Cognitive Psychology
Volume 26, Issue 5, 2012, Pages 661-676

Just tell us what happened to you: Autobiographical memory and seeking asylum (Article)

Herlihy J.* , Jobson L. , Turner S.
  • a Centre for the Study of Emotion and Law, London, United Kingdom, University College, London, United Kingdom, Trauma Clinic, London, United Kingdom
  • b School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
  • c Centre for the Study of Emotion and Law, London, United Kingdom, University College, London, United Kingdom, Trauma Clinic, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

When someone flees their country and seeks the protection of another state, they usually have to describe what happened to make them afraid to return. This task requires many psychological processes, a key one being autobiographical memory. Memory for events of a specific time and place in one's personal past is the subject of a huge literature, much of it showing that recall is vulnerable to distortions and biases. We review selected areas of this literature, shedding light on some of the processes at work when someone seeks to be recognised as a refugee-in particular, the effects of emotion, including emotional disorder. We then turn to the differing types of memory styles seen in different cultures. Crucial to this area, we briefly examine the current literature on deception. Finally, we draw on the reviewed literature to present conclusions about the reliance on autobiographical memories in the asylum process. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

priority journal cognition depression social interaction refugee psychotrauma cultural factor memory consolidation recall emotional disorder Fear Article emotion Deception autobiographical memory human posttraumatic stress disorder
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84866449743&doi=10.1002%2facp.2852&partnerID=40&md5=98811a6253522a7550f46d15d15a6249
DOI: 10.1002/acp.2852
ISSN: 08884080
Cited by: 28
Original Language: English