The classic definition of "False Memory" is the psychological phenomenon where in a person recalls something that did not occur.
One of the most common occurrences where False Memories become important is sexual abuse cases when they come to court. An example will show how testimony can be affected by false memories. A famous case "The McMartin pre school trial, hinged on nine young victims memories of molestation and ritual abuse, memories that they had supposedly forgotten and then after being interviewed, recovered. The case fell apart, in 1990, because the prosecution could produce no persuasive evidence of the victims claim." (Starr, D. Remembering A Crime That You Didn't Commit, New Yorker, March 5, 1915, pg.2) obviously in the above example the children interviewed were coached, or were asked leading questions "To imagine that you were sexually abused. What time of day was it? Where were you? What kind of things are happening? Is there one or more persons with you? Who would have been the likely perpetrator? (Maltz, W. Therapist Quoted In Creating False Memories by Elizabeth F. Loftus, Pg.5) Reviews of this case showed that the children's interviewers guided the children into thinking what did not occur had actually occurred. There was no real evidence found to support their testimony.
Both the text and other published articles basically agree that false memories can occur normally or by being instilled into your brain by a professional during therapy sessions.
Methods Studies Include:
-Integration- inappropriately combining info from different sources or events.
-Leading Questions- The text quotes Loftus on memory impairment where the memory of an event changes as a function of a later event.
-Misinformation Acceptance- Accepting additional info not part of the original event.
-Source Misattribution- Cannot distinguish differences between real event and a later event.
Implanted Memory- Implanting memories of things that never happened
(Radvansky. G.A, cognition 6th edition-updated, copy right 2010 pg.155-160)
It is not a surprise that there things do also occur during police interrogations when investigating a suspect in a crime. Many convictions have been overturned where it was later discovered that false memories were involved and there was no other evidence presented except the prep's testimony. Many more studies must be done to "determine what types of individuals are particularly susceptible to those forms of suggestion and who is resistant". (Loftus, E.F, Creating False Memories, Sept 1997, pg.7)
By: Daniel King
5/1/2017
You do make a good argument but there is controversy on false memories vs recovered memories. Although it is proven that someone can develop a false memory, there is also evidence that shows that people might dissociate with the traumatic experience (in this case sexual abuse as a child) because the child was not mentally mature enough to understand what had happened. There is truly no way to know for sure whether or not someone's memory is recovered or false.
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