What is false memory? And how do we become less susceptible to it?
Memory is a complex process that allows us to learn and recall a vast amount of information every moment of every day. But memory does not work like a videotape recorder where we record an event and play it back later. What we’re actually doing is taking bits and pieces of information together to construct memory. This allows a gap for false memory, otherly known as the misinformation effect to occur.
According to Manuela Herbele, masters in counseling and teaches phycology and social psychology false memory is a recollection that appears real in your mind but is fabricated in part or whole (Herbele). They’re shifts or reconstructions of memory that don’t align with the true events. As of the current day, research psychologist knows that the brain’s hippocampus, thalamus, and amygdala is involved in the process of memory (Herbele). According to Healthline false memory can occur in several ways suggestion, misinformation, inaccurate perception, and misattribution (Healthline).
Suggestion is a powerful force, you may create new false memories with someone else’s prompting or by the questions they ask. For example, someone may ask you if the bank robber was wearing a red mask. You say yes, then quickly correct yourself to say it was black. In actuality, the robber wasn’t wearing a mask, but the suggestion planted a memory that wasn’t real.
Misinformation, the more often people are exposed to misleading information, the more likely they are to incorrectly believe that the misinformation was part of the original event. You can be fed improper or false information about an event and be convinced that it actually did occur
Inaccurate perception, your brain is like a computer, storing what you give it. If you give it bad information, it stores bad information. The gaps left by your story may be filled in later with your own created recollections
Misattribution, in your memory, you may combine elements of different events into a singular one. When you recall the memory, you’re recalling events that happened. But the timeline is jumbled or confused with the assortment of events that now form a singular memory in your mind
However, there are ways to make one less susceptible to false memory. According to Jillian Kubala, a registered dietitian master’s degree in nutrition as well as an undergraduate degree in nutrition science, cocoa is not only delicious but also nutritious, providing a powerful dose of antioxidants called flavonoids. Research suggests flavonoids are particularly beneficial to the brain (Kubala). Anti-inflammatory foods are great for your brain, especially berries and other foods that are high in antioxidants (Kubala). To incorporate more anti-inflammatory foods into your diet, you can’t go wrong by consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Exercising your cognitive skills by playing brain games is a fun and effective way to boost your memory (Kubala). Crosswords, word-recall games, Tetris, and even mobile apps dedicated to memory training are excellent ways to strengthen memory.
The misinformation effect illustrates how easily memories can be influenced. It also raises concerns about the reliability of memory, particularly when the memories of eyewitnesses are used to determine criminal guilt (Cherry). According to Elizabeth Loftus American cognitive psychologist and expert on human memory, this is important because out there in the real world misinformation is everywhere. We get misinformation when people talk to each other when a significant event is over when they are interrogated by some investigator whose got some kind of agenda or hypothesis and communicates that hypothesis and influences the witness (Loftus). When people read news coverage about an event they can pick up misinformation all of these provide an opportunity for new information to enter witnesses’ memory and cause an alteration, transformation, or distortion in that memory (Loftus).
To learn more click here for a stop motion video regarding false memory.
References:
CenterforInquiry, director. The Fiction of Memory. YouTube, YouTube, 5 Feb. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-zj0czji-A.
Charlotte, and Amanda. “False Memories and Children.” falsememories123, 3 Dec. 2019, https://falsememories123.blogs.wm.edu/2019/12/03/false-memories-children/.
Cherry, Kendra. “How Does Misinformation Influence Our Memories of Events?” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 4 Oct. 2020, https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-misinformation-effect-2795353.
Heberle, Manuela, director. Three Stages Of Memory in Psychology: Explanation & Summary. Study, Manuela Heberle, 8 Aug. 2021, study.com/academy/lesson/three-stages-of-memory-in-psychology-explanation-lesson-quiz.html.
Holland, Kimberly. “False Memory: What You Need to Know.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 23 Apr. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/false-memory#why-we-have-them.
Khoo, Alyssa. “A Labelled Diagram of the Four Main Parts of the Limbic System.” Ysjornal, 22 July 2020, https://ysjournal.com/the-emotional-brain/.
Kubala, Jillian. “14 Natural Ways to Improve Your Memory.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 26 Mar. 2018, www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-improve-memory.
Montti, Roger. “Are Facebook and Twitter Winning Against Fake News?” Search Engine Journal, Roger Montti, 30 Oct. 2018, https://www.searchenginejournal.com/fake-news-facebook-twitter/275753/#close.