Decoding False Memory: What You Need to Know

 

Hi Everyone!

Hope you are doing well in life 😀

To put it simply for you, I would like to discuss a unique and hazardous idea with you today that has the potential to have a significant impact. 

Imagine your younger sister, when asked to describe her feelings when she gets lost in a mall, telling her friend about an experience she had as a child. Your sister is narrating the story in great detail, and you find yourself impressed even if what she is saying is flat out false!

Why has this happened when the tale was far simpler and less risky than what your sister was telling her friend? Is it possible that your sister is lying?

The answer is NO, your sister is simply experiencing the FALSE MEMORY EFFECT!!

Let me explain. Research indicates that most people have trouble estimating the length of an event and report numerical details like time, speed, and distance incorrectly. This is because our memories are prone to outside influences, such as suggestions made by others and the language used to describe situations.

In an experiment, participants watched videos of car crashes and then responded to questions concerning the scenes they saw. "How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?" is the query. 

Received faster speed estimations than questions that substituted the verbs "smashed" with "collided," "bumped," "contacted," or "hit." Even though there was no actual shattered glass in the movie, individuals who were given the verb "smashed" were more likely to answer "yes" when asked if they had seen any during a retest a week later.

So, once more, why didn't your sister tell her story accurately and precisely? Possibly as a result of her friend posing a leading query to her; Simply said, a leading question is one that indicates to witnesses the anticipated response, either through its phrasing or its content (i.e. it leads to the desired answer). Such a sneaky inquiry caused your sister to recall the details of the incident and circumstance incorrectly.

You should be aware that the False Memory effect is frequently employed and that politicians and advertising can take advantage of it to influence public opinion and fabricate events, particularly when they are intensely emotional and significant for the community or even when they are emotionally charged in the past. 

 

How can we better safeguard ourselves? 🤔

When reporting an event, it is vital to record any numerical information at the moment the event occurred in order to ensure that you don't forget anything. Also, it is important to research and confirm the event's history and verify the facts before making any judgments. Simple advice that has a significant impact.

I appreciate your time, and I hope to see you soon👋