Repressed Memories and the Body Keeps the Score: Public Perceptions and Prevalence

The “memory wars” resurgence has renewed debates over the validity of repressed memories. This revival appears linked to factors such as changing statutes of limitations, confusion about repression, and unchallenged social media content. In a nationally representative online survey of American adults (N = 1581), we examined (a) beliefs in repression and the body keeps the score, (b) the prevalence of recovered memory claims, and (c) the impact of question phrasing on recovered memory reporting. An overwhelming 94% of respondents expressed belief in repressed memory, and 77% endorsed the idea that the body keeps the score. Additionally, 3.6% (n = 57) of participants self-reported claims of recovered memories previously unknown to them, with an average of 75% confidence in the accuracy of those memories. We also found that asking about unwanted experiences provided a more conservative estimate for recovered memory claims compared to first asking directly about child abuse memories. Finally, qualitative analyses underscore adults’ confusion about repression and the media's potential influence. Given the significant emotional and legal consequences of recovered memories, we suggest memory experts must be better at giving our science away if the “memory wars” are ever to really end.