False Memory Syndrome Essay - 1391 Words

False Memory Syndrome How accurate and reliable is memory? Studies on memory have shown that we often construct our memories after the fact, that we are susceptible to suggestions from others that will help us fill in the gaps in our memories (Carroll 6). Prior to reading and discussing the issue of False Memory Syndrome, I hadn’t thought much about the topic. Maybe a person who had experienced this would be more educated. I did however find it very interesting to research and my beliefs or feelings about it now exist and will be shared at a later time. The purpose of this paper is to describe what False Memory Syndrome is and summarize some of the facts that have been gathered through previous research and my own research.†¦show more content†¦(Freberg 1) Some of the different causes for FMS might be related to emotional and psychological distress which often drive an individual to seek psychotherapy. Things such as job loss, divorce, eating disorders, relationship problems, or a bi rth or death in the family (Freyd 3). People who are caught up in the FMS, might believe that current adult problems are a result of childhood trauma. However, most FMS individuals do not come to this realization on their own. It is possible to create false memories, hence the name, False Memory Syndrome. People who are dealing with any type of stressful situation will often look to some type of therapist for help. In most cases, this is where the individual has memories distorted or created with the help of a therapist. Psychiatrists are advised to avoid engaging in any type of recovery memory techniques which most often are based on some type of abuse of which the patient doesn’t remember. If the abuse never took place, the therapist is using suggestive information to worsen or create something that may have never happened. Techniques may include drug mediated interviews, hypnosis, regression therapies, guided imagery, literal dream interpretationShow MoreRelatedFalse Memory Syndrome1478 Words   |  6 Pagesthey may have happened; all three of these examples are forms of creating a false memory. Many psychologists have researched, evaluated, and experimented with false memory, which has lead to the discovery of False Memory Syndrome, a condition in which individuals contract false memories while almost always remaining oblivious to the act of creating a memory that is not factual or concrete (Berger 1). False memory syndrome develops as a result of many different internal and external forces such asRead MoreWhat is False Memory Syndrome? Essay789 Words   |  4 Pages False memory syndrome is also called Recovered memory, Pseudo-Memory, and Memory Distortion. False memory syndrome or pseudo-memory is memories of an experience, in which one seemingly remembers that never actually or really occurred. In other words, false memory is a fabricated remembrance of past events that did not really happen. People often falsely thought of memories as recorder that are records accurately of all the experience in our brain but, memories are not always true and accurate andRead MoreHypnotherapy : Reputa ble Or Misleading?1170 Words   |  5 Pagessure to raise some interest. The issue at hand, for most individuals, is trying to debunk as to whether or not one can actually rely on hypnotherapy. Does hypnotherapy truly resolve a problem or is the whole act just a placebo effect to suppress memories or habits? What is hypnotherapy? Hypnotherapy is the act of an individual guided through relaxation, and intense concentration that is focused on specific thoughts or actions (Hypnotherapy-Hypnosis 1). There are two subtypes of hypnotherapy, theRead MoreEssay on Decay Theory in STM and Theory of Duration in STM820 Words   |  4 Pagesstate as when they first learnt the information. Godwin (1969) investigated the effect of alcohol on recall and found individuals were better able to recall information learnt when drunk if they were drunk. Other drugs seem to affect memory similarly. Bower (1981) however found that the same principle applied to mood did not have such a convincing effect but only a tendency to produce State-Dependent Retrieval.SPANSTYLE=COLOR:RED 3. Thirdly, recall may be by theRead MoreRepressed Memories Essay3891 Words   |  16 PagesRepressed Memories Abstract In recent years there has been a hot debate between repressed vs. false memories. Neurobiological studies show that both suppression and recall and the creation of false memories are possible. This paper evaluates the evidence but forth by both sides of the controversy and concludes that both are feasible and separate phenomenon, which occur at significant rates in our society. Further biological research on the effect of psychological trauma on the neurochemistryRead MoreMemory and Brain Activity Essays2129 Words   |  9 PagesMemory and Brain Activity Memory is the mental process of retaining and retrieving information such as facts, events, and experiences. Memory is not always accurate (Hunt, 2004). Memory errors are common and natural; they are the result of normal cognitive processes of comprehension and perception, which can cause interference about incoming information. There are two errors of remembering; forgetting an event that occurred and remember an event that never occurred or remembering it in a way differentRead MoreFalse Memory : How It Impacts Everyday Life And Society2076 Words   |  9 Pages False Memory: How it Impacts Everyday Life and Society Sami Bickford Caledonia-Mumford High School Abstract False memory involves rebuilding memories by filling in the gaps with interpretations and then eventually convincing oneself that it is true. There are multiple different causes to the creation of false memory and ways of identifying what is true or false. Therapist manipulation by implanting false memories of sexual abuse as a child in to their patients has become a majorRead MoreMemory Accuracy Fades859 Words   |  3 Pagespeople’s memories to fade and deteriorate, but what many don’t realize is that it’s possible for memories to actually transform themselves or be created entirely. With the possibility of memories being changed or fabricated by the human mind, can memory really be trusted? Most of us hold the view that â€Å"memory is much like a tape recorder or video recorder, holding a perfectly accurate record of what has been experienced. Nothing could be further from the truth† (Thompson and Madigan 6). Memory is amazing;Read MoreFalse Memories are Affecting Us All Essay1596 Words   |  7 PagesIntro: What Are False Memories? Have you every specifically remembered an event such as going to a basketball game then you were reminded by someone that you didn’t go because you were sick or something. If so, you have created a false memory. The study of false memories began in the early 1990’s when people started to report â€Å"recovered† memories of abuse (Laney Loftus 1). To understand how false memories work, you first need a basic understanding of how the memory works. In general your brainRead MoreBiographies And Biographies Of Books Essay1231 Words   |  5 Pagesschizophrenic or has phycosis. She knew this was not true and kept going back. When she was later released, Calahan wanted to know what she had forgotten and had no memory of. She would watch the surveillance footage, look at doctors reports, and listen to her parents and her boyfriend about what they were witnessing. This is a base memory and in the Author’s note Calahan states that â€Å"Because I am physically incapable of remembering that time, writing this book has been an exercise in my comprehending