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Let's be skeptical about reconsolidation and emotional arousal in therapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2015

Lawrence Patihis
Lawrence Patihis*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-7085. lpatihis@uci.edu
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Abstract

Lane et al. imply hypotheses that are questionable: that emotional arousal is a cause of positive change and reconsolidation research can be applied to therapy to alter memory. Given the history of problematic attempts to incorporate memory distortion or high emotional arousal into therapeutic techniques, both of which heralded premature optimism and hubris, I urge open-minded skepticism.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 38 , 2015 , e21
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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