The effects of context and subjects' perceived control in breaching posthypnotic amnesia

Subjects selected on the basis of being amnesic and experiencing their amnesia as "voluntary" or "involuntary" were subjected to two conditions designed to breach their amnesia: (1) lie detector, and (2) honesty instructions. A third group receiving relaxation instructions served as a control. Posthypnotic amnesia was breached under lie detection and honesty conditions. However, there appeared to be an interaction between how subjects reported their experience of amnesia (voluntary and involuntary) and the degree to which amnesia was breached. Voluntary subjects accounted for the majority of breaching. Implications for (1) studies on breaching (2) theories and processes of posthypnotic amnesia, and (3) studies in posthypnotic amnesia are discussed.