Memories of an Autopsy: The Effects of Stress Exposure on Suggestibility for a Stressful Event

The current study examined the effects of stressful life events on memory for a stressful event. Two groups of college students (N = 61) were formed for analysis based on the presence or absence of particular stressful life events. Participants then viewed a graphic video depicting an autopsy, and received a memory interview four days later. Results showed similar group performance on correctly leading questions. However, participants in the Specific Stressor-Exposed group were less suggestible to misleading questions than their Specific Stressor-Absent counterparts. Results are discussed in terms of stress sensitization theory and cognitive processing models.