Numerous studies claim to have shown that false memories can be easily created in the laboratory. However, a critical analysis of the methods employed in these studies indicates that many of them do not address memory in the strict sense of the word. Instead, some of these studies assess the confidence that participants have in a fictitious (childhood) event, while others pertain to false beliefs about childhood events. While it is difficult to draw precise demarcation lines, we argue that inflated confidence, false beliefs, and false memories are different phenomena. Keeping the origins of these studies in mind (i.e., people who file lawsuits on the basis of their recovered memories), we propose that a fruitful, but stringent definition of false memories would incorporate their consequences. Thus, we argue that this research domain would profit from studies looking explicitly at whether experimental manipulations intended to implant false memories have overt behavioral consequences.

Department of Experimental Psychology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. tom.smeets@psychology.unimaas.nl

Posted: 11/03/2005



This article provided by The International Hypnosis Research Institute.

Enter your email address to subscribe to the IHRI Newsletter.

Overcome Internet Porn Addiction Are you caught in a downward spiral of viewing more and more perverse sexual porn?This session is designed to retrain your mind to break the pattern that would have led you to view pornography.Identify the cause that drives you to porn.

Sooth Away Grief Are you griefing & having trouble letting go of the pain?This Hypnosis Session Will Help You Let Go Of The Pain Not The Memories. This session will gently reframe your loss and call you to look at life again.

Anxiety Free Let Your Anxieties Float Away!Hypnosis is a great solution for reducing your feelings of anxiety because it is positive, safe, and gentle.You’ll dip into the resources of your inner mind to develop strategies of deep relaxation and calm your nerves.