Welcome To
MEMORY AND REALITY
Website of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation
Except where noted, all material on this site is copyright © 1998-2008 False Memory Syndrome Foundation.
New DID/MPD book
Switching Time -- a skeptical review
Current FMSF Newsletter (Text)
(PDF)
FMSF Frequently Asked Questions
Wikipedia FMSF
Article |
Some of our memories are true, some are a mixture of fact and fantasy,
and some are false -- whether those memories seem to be continuous or
seem to be recalled after a time of being forgotten or not thought
about.
Then how can we know if our memories are
true? What could cause a person to believe sincerely in something
that never happened? Does it matter if someone has a false belief about the
past? |
What are false memories?
Because of the reconstructive nature of memory, some memories may be distorted through influences such as the incorporation of new information. There are also believed-in imaginings that are not based in historical reality; these have been called false memories, pseudo-memories and memory illusions. They can result from the influence of external factors, such as the opinion of an authority figure or information repeated in the culture. An individual with an internal desire to please, to get better or to conform can easily be affected by such influences.What is the recovered-memory controversy about?
The information on this site focuses on the current controversy about the accuracy of adult claims of "repressed" memories of childhood sexual abuse that are often made decades after the alleged events, for which there is no external corroboration. The controversy is not about whether children are abused. Child abuse is a serious social problem that requires our attention. Neither is the controversy about whether people may not remember past abuse. There are many reasons why people may not remember something: childhood amnesia, physical trauma, drugs or the natural decay of stored information. The controversy is about the accuracy of claims of recovered "repressed" memories of abuse. The consequences profoundly affect the law, the way therapy is practiced, families and people's lives. Harrison Pope, Jr., M.D. informally discusses the controversy in an interview entitled, "Recovered Memories:" Recent Events and Review of Evidence.
An article from the Skeptical Inquirer of March 1995 also
provides an overview of the problem:
Remembering Dangerously
Elizabeth Loftus, Skeptical Inquirer (1995) 19 (2), p. 20.