Psychologist explains what false memory syndrome is and how it works

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Memories with little information are completed by the brain. Photo: iStock

False memory syndrome, also known as false recollection syndrome, is the experience some people have of recalling events they were never present at and creating fictitious experiences.

Based on this, Julia Shaw , a psychologist at University College London, decided to conduct research that led her to get a group of university students to claim they had been involved in certain crimes, even though it was not true.

Traumatic events can also alter memories. Photo: iStock

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For this study, the professional used information provided by the participants' parents, who helped her suggest specific details of the unreal scenarios she presented to them through the exercise of imagination.

After implementing the experiment, the specialist realized that 70 percent of the volunteers were able to describe each of the alleged acts they committed , even though they did not happen.

After obtaining the results of her analysis, the psychologist demonstrated that regardless of whether a person has a good memory, the brain has the ability to create unreal scenarios and easily maintain false memories.

Shaw also explained that a large portion of the memories people store in their heads are constructed based on the collection of data and experiences, but they are not an accurate record of events.

Memories are not an accurate record of events. Photo: iStock

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According to a study published in the scientific journal Current Biology, when humans create a memory with little information, the brain recreates a similar situation and fills in the gaps.

For his part, Bryce Vissel, co-author of the study, noted that for memories to be useful, they must be well-formed with the details of an event so that the mind doesn't generate fictitious scenarios to convince the person.

False memory syndrome. Photo: iStock

He also mentioned that “in the real world, many memories are likely to be inaccurate,” mainly because many of the situations that make up life tend to be brief or sudden.

Vissel also mentioned that suggestion is often the most common cause of this syndrome, so memories can be influenced by other people, misinformation, and even psychological factors.

Psychologist explains what false memory syndrome is and how it works

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