Divergent Perspectives in Prostitutes' Autobiographical Memories: Trauma and Dissociation

An intriguing aspect of cognition is the perspective one takes when perceiving and/or remembering an event (i.e., field vs. observer perspectives/memories). Although explored from a cognitive viewpoint in terms of remembering, no research has examined this phenomenon from a forensic viewpoint in terms of the original experienced perspective. The objective of the present study was to test the utility of the field vs. observer distinction. Thirty-six prostitutes were interviewed and asked to recall three different autobiographical memories. Peri-traumatic dissociative symptoms, trait dissociation levels, current PTSD symptomatology, the perspective taken, and the quantity of detail were coded for each memory and compared. Extreme memorial variability was found both within and across the types of memories/perspectives reported. Among other findings, the results suggest significantly higher levels of state dissociation in memories originally perceived from an observer perspective than from a field perspective. Implications for expert testimony pertaining are briefly discussed.