“…Ever find yourself caught up in a vivid memory of an event that, you later realize with confusion, didn’t really happen the way you thought? According to new research by psychologists at the University of Warwick in the U.K., you are far from alone.
The study demonstrated that about half of individuals will come to believe a fictional event occurred if they are told about that event and then repeatedly imagine it happening.
More than 400 people participated in the study…, led by professor Kimberley Wade.
Approximately one-third of participants showed evidence of a false memory, and more than half showed evidence of believing that the event occurred in the past.”
The study highlights the slippery nature of human memory, and is just the latest in a growing body of research looking into how memories form and how they can be manipulated.
The results also raise questions about the integrity of processes that rely heavily on human memory, from courtroom testimony to therapy treatments….” Study: Half of people “remember” events that never happened