Gaslighting and memory: the effects of partner-led challenges on recall and self-perception

The global introduction of coercive control laws addressing patterns of psychological abuse in intimate partner violence has made it increasingly important to understand the cognitive impacts of tactics like gaslighting. Gaslighting directly targets cognitive processes involved in evaluating memories, potentially undermining victim-survivors' recollection, confidence, and self-trust, which are critical in forensic processes such as testimony. This study examined the effects of partner-led challenges on autobiographical memories within close relationships (i.e., friends and couples). It adapted memory conformity paradigms to capture gaslighting dynamics, where one partner pressures the other to adopt a different recollection of shared events. The study assessed how this pressure influences recall, confidence, self-perception, and wellbeing. It also explored how relationship factors (e.g., closeness, length) predict changes in recall. Results showed pressure from close partners increased misinformation acceptance, emphasising the role of interpersonal dynamics in memory conformity and the potential for abusive partners to manipulate recollections. While recall confidence decreased, self-esteem and mood showed positive trends, indicating complex interactions in processing memory challenges. These findings highlight the need for further research into psychological manipulation's effect on memory and self-trust in IPV, with focus on improving forensic responses and interventions for victim-survivors of psychological abuse.