Most individuals like to think that our memory is capapble of recording every experience we have and storing it for easy, later recall. On the contrary, memory is not like a recording device such as a camcorder. Instead, memory is constructed, has many different components to it (i.e. short term vs. long term memory, declarative vs. nondeclarative memory) and can be more maleable over time regarding episodic memories. False memories are an example of how memories are constructed and maleable over time. A false memory is a distorted, fabricated, or made-up recollection of an event that never happened. In some instances, it can be quite difficult to be able to determine whether the remembered memory is real or merely false. For example, there
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Repressing these horrible memories is an explanation many individuals jump to in order to provide some type of logic behind this phenomenon. However, without any type of physical proof of this happening other than the words of others, there might not be a way for this to be resolved. Not all accounts of childhood sexual molestation are false and a false memory does not have to be one that consists of your parents or others sexually abusing you. In reality, it could happen during our every day experiences without us realizing it. Some factors that may come into play and influence the creation of false memories include: misinformation, imaginations and the influence of others. Studies have been done on most of these factors and results suggest that they do have some effect on the construction of false memories. A well known pioneer on the subject of false memories that has done extensive research on the reliability and maleability of repressed memories is Elizabeth Loftus (http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/loftus.htm ). One of her studies dealt with false childhood experiences being implanted by the influence of others with the use of family members. For instance, participants (N = 24) between the ages of 18 – …show more content…
For example, one of Loftus' studies looked at how misleading information can affect the recollection of a memory. Individuals were shown a simulation of an automobile accident at an intersection that had a stop sign. Once the individuals were done watching the simulation, it was suggested to half the participants that the traffic sign was a yield sign instead of a stop sign. When the participants were then later asked what traffic sign they remembered seeing at the intersection, those that were given the suggestion of a yield sign tended to say they saw a yield sign at that intersection. The participants that were not given the misinformation were more accurate in remembering the traffic sign as a stop sign. This suggests that misinformation can distort memories (http://faculty.washington.edu/eloftus/Articles/sciam.htm ). However, a different scenario could have also taken place. The participants that claimed there was a yield sign even though there was not could have possibly not paid any attention to what the traffic signs were in the first place and had been merely going off of what was suggested to them. In this case, since the individuals would not have had any actual memory of the traffic signs to distort, instead of altering their memory with misinformation they would have only accepted the misinformation as true without giving it any thought (Loftus & Hoffman).
Repressing these horrible memories is an explanation many individuals jump to in order to provide some type of logic behind this phenomenon. However, without any type of physical proof of this happening other than the words of others, there might not be a way for this to be resolved. Not all accounts of childhood sexual molestation are false and a false memory does not have to be one that consists of your parents or others sexually abusing you. In reality, it could happen during our every day experiences without us realizing it. Some factors that may come into play and influence the creation of false memories include: misinformation, imaginations and the influence of others. Studies have been done on most of these factors and results suggest that they do have some effect on the construction of false memories. A well known pioneer on the subject of false memories that has done extensive research on the reliability and maleability of repressed memories is Elizabeth Loftus (http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/loftus.htm ). One of her studies dealt with false childhood experiences being implanted by the influence of others with the use of family members. For instance, participants (N = 24) between the ages of 18 – …show more content…
For example, one of Loftus' studies looked at how misleading information can affect the recollection of a memory. Individuals were shown a simulation of an automobile accident at an intersection that had a stop sign. Once the individuals were done watching the simulation, it was suggested to half the participants that the traffic sign was a yield sign instead of a stop sign. When the participants were then later asked what traffic sign they remembered seeing at the intersection, those that were given the suggestion of a yield sign tended to say they saw a yield sign at that intersection. The participants that were not given the misinformation were more accurate in remembering the traffic sign as a stop sign. This suggests that misinformation can distort memories (http://faculty.washington.edu/eloftus/Articles/sciam.htm ). However, a different scenario could have also taken place. The participants that claimed there was a yield sign even though there was not could have possibly not paid any attention to what the traffic signs were in the first place and had been merely going off of what was suggested to them. In this case, since the individuals would not have had any actual memory of the traffic signs to distort, instead of altering their memory with misinformation they would have only accepted the misinformation as true without giving it any thought (Loftus & Hoffman).