People remember a lot of information every day. And we think that everything we remember is based on facts. However, as proven by numerous psychological studies, our memories can easily be distorted or altered. When memories are distorted, we remember things that are slightly different from reality or even remember things that we did not actually experience. There are also various phenomena that occur due to memory distortion. There are several reasons why this happens, and I will talk about them in this journal article.

Process of Forming Memories

The process of forming memories can be largely divided into three stages: encoding, storage, and retrieval. First, encoding is the process in which we receive information from the environment as input. Sensory stimuli we experience, such as light, sound, and smell, are converted into electrical signals in the brain that can be stored in memory. In this process, memories that are judged to be important are inputted more strongly. The second is the storage process. In this process, information is inputted and stored in various areas of the brain. Memories are largely divided into two types: short-term memory and long-term memory. Short-term memory disappears quickly, and long-term memory lasts longer. It is processed and stored in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of the brain. Finally, retrieval is the process in which memories stored in the previous process are retrieved again when needed. During these three stages of memory formation, memory is damaged or lost, resulting in memory distortion.

Reasons

Emotions are factors that affect memory distortion. If a person experiences an extreme emotional event, there is a high probability that he or she will remember the event incorrectly. If someone retrieves memories when they are happy, they might remember it more positively. If they think of it when they are sad, they might remember it more negatively. Another factor is schema. Schema is a mental framework that understands and processes information we receive from the environment. Therefore, when we receive new information, we interpret it according to our schema or modify our schema through new information. The reason memory is distorted due to this schema is because each person may interpret information differently according to the schema. For example, if A is asked about the scene of the collision in the car accident and B is asked what they saw at the scene of the collision, although they saw the same accident, B may state that he or she saw glass shards unlike A, even if there were no glass shards. Like this, schemas can cause incorrect information to be remembered.

Memory Distortion Phenomenon

There are phenomena that occur due to memory distortion. The first is the Mandela effect. Many people thought that Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa, had died in the 1980s, but he was actually alive and passed away in 2013. The word that refers to that phenomenon arose because of this event. In other words, the Mandela effect is when many people collectively share the same false memory, even though the event did not actually occur. The second is the flashbulb memory. A flashbulb memory is when you remember an event in great detail. However, this memory can become distorted over time. In that case, you end up remembering incorrect information in great detail. The last is false memory syndrome. False memory syndrome is a belief that one has actually experienced something that did not actually happen. It is also used in psychotherapy such as memory recall therapy or hypnosis therapy. False memory syndrome is mainly caused by external false information or external suggestions. However, there is a problem with this: in important moments such as legal situations where only the truth must be told, false information can be told and have a huge impact on the legal outcome. False memory syndrome is a belief that one has actually experienced something, so it cannot be detected by a lie detector. In this way, people's memories can easily change or be created by groups, false information, or strong emotions.

Memory is not simply storing facts. Memories are constantly changing and being reconstructed. Emotions can make memories more vivid, but they are more likely to be distorted. Memory distortion occurs not only in individuals but also in groups. Also, false memories can lead to false statements. Knowing about memory distortion in this way can make you wonder if all your memories are true.