The Debate between Janet and Freud revisited: trauma and memory (1892-1895/1913-1914)

SANFELIPPO, LUIS; DAGFAL, ALEJANDRO

Psychoanalytic Quarterly

Wiley

Año: 2020 vol. 89 p. 119 - 141

The relationship between trauma and memory disorders is not an essential one; in fact, its origins can be traced back to the 1890s, to the works of Janet and Freud. In this article, we will focus on two brief, but fundamental, periods in the works of both of these authors (1892-1895/ 193-1914). We will attempt to argue that, in contrast to the hypotheses of some contemporary texts on the matter, it was Freud?s work that placed the greatest emphasis on the relationship between trauma, memory and pathology. Furthermore, our objective is to reconstruct an essential part of this debate: the discussion on the importance placed on hereditary and accidental factors. In order to do so, we will use both doctrinal as well as some clinical works as bibliographical sources, the latter allowing for a better appreciation of the relative importance each author placed on trauma, heredity and memory in therapy.