False Memories
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False Memories
False memory is when a person believes that he or she remembers events that have not actually occurred. While some memories of those affected by false memories may be true, others are based on events that never happened. This paper will present the history of the false memory phenomenon, introduce theoretical models such as Fuzzy -Trace and Children's False Memories, and The contributions of source misattribution, acquiescence, and response bias to children's false memories theories. How real memories are stored and how false memories can occur is discussed. From the anatomy/physiology angle, specialists in psychology and medicine are currently working on trying to find the difference between true and false memories using procedures such as PET (Positron Emission Tomography), and other brain scanning devices such as in the Newsweek article 'You must remember this'. This paper also touches upon the important role of the therapist in recovering repressed or false memories, and ends with the debate on whether the false memories are the responsibility of the therapist or the patient (The False Memory Debate: Social Science or Social Backlash?).
Historically, reports of child abuse and incest were rare. Suddenly, in the late 1980's a rage of reports of childhood sexual abuse appeared. Treatments for mental illness linked to repressed memories soared as hundreds of patients reported that psychotherapy had brought forth memories of child abuse, satanic ritual abuse, UFO abductions, et cetera...