Memory Distortion

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While researching some interesting topics about science, I found a very unique and mind blowing article. I found a few more articles about the same topic which is particularly about how memory can be altered by your brain. There are studies, experiments, and professors who study this and has published their article online; to give us a better sense of how our brains work and the things that we should be aware of. In recent studies, human brain experts found that your memories can be changed every time you try to recall it. The goal of this paper is to explain misinformation effect, false memory, and effect of memory distortion.
Misinformation effect happens when the recall of episodic memories become less accurate because of post-event information (Zaragoza 36). 1 “The new information that a person receives works backward in time to distort memory of the original event.” 2 In other words new information that comes into our brain will go back and change what we thought of the original event. I think this is a very unique and new thing to know because we are used to relying on our memories and trusting it completely. A leading psychologist and expert in brain memory did a few study to support the misinformation effect.
In one of the study, participants were shown a few slides about a car stopping in front of a yield sign. After showing the participants the slides, they were given misinformation of the slides that the car

Chu 2 stopped in front of a stop sign. Results of the experiment showed that the participants that were given misinformation are more likely to report seeing the stop sign than those who were given the correct information. (3) This shows that what we see isn’t what is always correct, this study give us an idea...

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...ibd.com/doc/62693359/Cognitive-Psychology-Applying-the-Science-of-the-
Mind-2nd-Edition>
3Vornik, L.; Sharman, Stefanie; Garry, Maryanne (2003). "The power of the spoken word:
Sociolinguistic cues influence the misinformation effect". Memory. 2003. Web. 16 March 2014

inguistic_cues_influence_the_misinformation_effect/file/9fcfd505ba9eeec5b9.pdf>
4-5McHugh, PR (2008). Try to remember: Psychiatry's clash over meaning, memory and mind.
Dana Press. 2008. Web 6 March 2014
6. Murphy, W. "Debunking 'false memory'myths in sexual abuse cases". 2004. Print.
7. Totten, Michael. “The Misinformation Effect in the Interviewing of Witnesses.” Legal Source. 2 April
2013. Web. 29 March 2014
<.http://www.legalsource360.com/index.php/the-misinformation-effect-in-the-interviewing-of-witnesses-195/>

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