False Memories

False Memories:

False memories are memories of events or situations that did not, in fact, occur. These recollections of past events are unintentionally false. Often times, it may result from a questioned phrased differently, or a story told often enough that the person begins to believe that it actually happened recalling these events in depth. When asked what happened, they will be able to give vivid descriptions and details of what they remember occurred; however, in reality, these events never truly happened. Reality monitoring is used to help determine what is real from what someone may have just imagined happened. Also included in false memory is the concept of source amnesia. This occurs when one is able to remember the events or information correctly but unable to identify the source of where the information came from correctly. False memories can have a large impact on our lives and must be looked at when addressing the following question:

1. How do false memories have the potential for serious damage in our social and legal systems?

This review of false memories focuses on this question.

How do False Memories Have the Potential for Serious

Damage in our Social and Legal Systems?

A social system is defined as a set of interrelated units that are engaged in joint problem solving to accomplish common goals or the people in a society considered as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships. One such social system that can be affected by false memory is the family. Often times, after a child has been sexually abused they may go into a state of denial. “Denial is a stabilizing force, and a substantial amount of energy is devoted to denying both personal crises and public crises” (Rubin, 1996, 447). The False Memory Syndrome Foundation has been recently focusing their attention to the issue of delayed memories of childhood sexual abuse. False memory syndrome is a so called condition that has been characterized as a fast

growing epidemic of questionable, perhaps even dangerous, psychotherapy that shatters families, scars patients for life, and devastates innocent parents and other relatives by means of false accusations of sexual abuse. (447)

In these cases, the alleged event is usually false but the person truly believes that it happens. If a child feels pressured to relive and uncover hidden events that occurred in the past, they may be recalling things that don’t really happen based on questions or ideas that someone else has asked them.

When false memories come up in the case of child abuse within a family it may tear the family apart. Some family members may take the side of the alleged abused and others may take the side of the suspected abuser. “When the secret is hidden from the family, children are threatened by abusers with physical harm, rejection, abandonment, not being believed, and being blamed for the breakup of the family if they disclose anything about the sexual abuse” ( p. 448 ). Often times when the abuse has been revealed, instead of having sympathy for the child, they will be rejected by their family or called a liar. They can also be held responsible for breaking up the family and creating a chaotic living environment. Overall, it is suggested that it would be better for the family to keep the abuse a secret instead of revealing the truth. This sends the wrong message to children and may prevent them from ever opening up and telling the truth about any event that happens.

False memory can play an important role within our legal system especially when dealing with a witness associated with the case. In an influential article, Porter, Campbell, Birt, and Woodworth (2003) stated that there have been several occurrences where errors given from the eyewitness has directly contributed to wrongful convictions (p.213). There are several other factors that can alter what a person actually remembers and what they only believe they remember. After a crime is committed, for instance,

witnesses are interviewed by the police, read newspaper stories about the crime, perhaps see TV reports. This information can interfere with actual memories. Moreover, during a trial, the way a question is asked can influence a witness’s faith in his or her recollection, or even change the testimony altogether. (Kosslyn & Rosenberg, 2006, pg 308-309)

It is not always the intentions of the witness to change their testimony, but due to outside influences, it helps them to believe as if they actually recall these events happening.

“False memories often share similarities with true memories. At times, differences between true and false memories may not appear obvious when evaluating individual