Hidden memories

Robert A. Baker

Alien abductions, satanic kidnappings, the channeling of spirits, the recall of past lives--these and similar bizarre experiences are reported almost daily by the media. Is there a rational explanation for these strange events? According to psychologist Robert A. Baker, such irregular or "supernatural" experiences are manifestations of cryptomnesia, or hidden memories, a phenomenon in which experiences that originally make little conscious impression are filed away in the brain and later are suddenly remembered in altered form. Referring to the most recent scientific evidence on memory and the brain, Dr. Baker dispels many supernatural beliefs, outlining what should and should not be defined as mental disease and how the boundaries of what can be termed normal but aberrant behavior can be confused by therapists, particularly those susceptible to fringe beliefs. He also explains how delusions and illusions affect behavior and discusses the role of hypnosis, imagination, and suggestion in the creation of otherworldly experiences. In the final chapters, Baker looks at how the media has aided and abetted paranormal beliefs and promoted the growth of superstition and urban legends.