Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Memory is a fundamental aspect of human cognition, allowing us to relive past experiences, learn from our mistakes, and plan for the future. However, our memories are not always accurate, and sometimes we can vividly recall events that never actually happened. These are known as false memories, and they have fascinated psychologists, neuroscientists, and legal professionals for decades.
False memories have always been a fascinating aspect of human cognition, highlighting the complex and often unreliable nature of our recollections. By understanding the factors that contribute to their formation and the implications they can have, we have the ability to work towards minimizing their negative impact and fostering a greater appreciation for the intricacies of human memory. As research in this field continues to advance, we may unlock new insights into the workings of the mind and develop strategies to enhance the accuracy of our memories.
A new study led by researchers from UCL and Royal Holloway, University of London, reveals that implanting false memories is significantly more difficult than previously suggested by memory experts and in criminal trials.
The 1995 “Lost in the Mall” study has been frequently referenced in legal cases, particularly those involving historical sexual abuse, such as during Harvey Weinstein’s defense, to challenge the credibility of accusers’ memories.
The original study proposed that false memories of fabricated events could be easily implanted, citing the case where 25 percent of 24 participants falsely remembered being lost in a mall at age five.
In 2023, psychologists at University College Cork and University College Dublin replicated the “Lost in the Mall” experiment with 123 participants, reporting a higher rate of false memories (35 percent) than the original study.
The recent analysis of 2023 data, published in Applied Cognitive Psychology, casts doubt on these findings. The study reveals that none of the 35 percent categorized as having a false memory in 2023 actually reported an entirely false memory, with many not even recalling the experience of being lost.
The analysis suggests that half of those deemed to have false memories had, in fact, been lost before and were likely recounting real events—though at a different time or place. Additionally, some participants were so uncertain about the fabricated details in the story that their testimony would have been of limited value in a legal context.
Emeritus Professor Chris Brewin (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences) says “The findings underscore the dangers of applying laboratory research findings to the real world of witnesses in court. People in these studies are cautious in what they claim to remember and seem to be much less likely than the investigators to agree they had a false memory. Experts need to be very careful in how they present research findings so as not to mislead the justice system.”
In their analysis, the researchers examined six key aspects of the fabricated event, which included: getting lost, crying, receiving assistance from an elderly woman, reuniting with their family, the event’s location, and the time it occurred.
They discovered that individuals identified as having a false memory could, on average, recall only one and a half details with certainty, while 30% of them were unable to remember any details at all.
This finding aligned with prior studies showing that false memory assessments made by investigators were often not supported by the participants’ own recollections.
The lead author Emeritus Professor Bernice Andrews (Royal Holloway Department of Psychology) says “This is the first time that the raw data from a false memory implantation study have been made publicly available and subjected to independent scrutiny.”
