Understanding Perceptions of Hypnotically Recovered Memories in a Civil Sexual Abuse Case

Perceptions of hypnosis and hypnotically recovered testimony were examined in a civil sexual abuse case. One hundred eighty-eight undergraduate students read one of eight trial transcript summaries varying expert witness testimony and victim testimony regarding the use of hypnosis in recovering a repressed memory of sexual abuse. We hypothesized that expert testimony would moderate the relation between victim testimony and perceptions of hypnotically recovered memory. In addition, we expected attitudes towards hypnotically refreshed memories would predict perceptions of the victim. Results found testimony elicited under hypnosis to be less accurate, less credible, and less believable than testimony not elicited from hypnosis. Results imply jurors’ awareness and uncertainty of the use of hypnosis in this context